Following weeks of record rains, dozens of “bizarre” species washed up on Australian beaches, leaving animal specialists startled.
Large weedy sea dragons have been discovered on New South Wales beachfronts, shocking beachgoers.
The weedy seadragons have been spotted in Cronulla, Malabar, and the Central Coast, and are estimated to be 10 times as many as regular beach wash-ups.
“Clearly it’s a result of some combination of the awful weather, pollution being dumped into the ocean, and big surf,” Dr David Booth, professor of marine ecology at the University of Technology Sydney, told the Sydney Morning Herald.
The creatures are frequently seen in Australian waters, although it is unusual for them to travel so far from home, with adults believed to travel about 50-500 meters from their birthplace.
“This makes them more vulnerable to habitat loss and changing environmental conditions,” said lead researcher Dr. Selma Klanten.