Predators of LEAFY SEA DRAGON

Predators

Due to the physical appearance of the Leafy Sea Dragon they don’t really have any natural predators in their environment. They blend in to the surroundings so amazingly well that they aren’t detected as a food source even when predators are right there in front of them.

What does happen though is that they are often consumed when fish and other predators are there trying to feed on other elements in the water. The foliage around them may be taken in too and that often means the Leafy Sea Dragon who certainly seems like just another piece of it.

The young that just emerge from the eggs though don’t have the leafy camouflage on them yet. It takes several days for it to start to emerge. This is why they are so often found by various predators out there. They are often consumed fast in groups before they have had the chance to really spread out into the environment.

The real threat to them though comes from humans. The fact that there is so much pollution in the water makes it very difficult for them to survive in their natural environment. Their habitat can be taken away and then it is harder for them to blend into it and remain hidden.

In many locations they end up in fishing nets and captured for commercial use. The goal is for them to be sold in the pet trade. Due to the great unique look of the Leafy Sea Dragon there is quite a market for it. The problem though is that many people don’t know how to properly care for them in captivity so they don’t live very long.

(source:google/http://www.seahorseworlds.com/)