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    Weedy Seadragons Arrive at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

    A new habitat opens at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on Monday, April 10. Say hello to the weedy seadragon, a unique fish species native to the waters around Australia.

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    The weedy seadragons have found a home within the Australia and the Islands region’s Nocturnal Building and Aviary, along side several feathered friends, binturongs, tree kangaroos, feathertail gliders and Glen the wombat.

    A cousin of the seahorse, this is one fish species that doesn’t have scales. A thin skin stretches over bony plates and their tube-like mouths give their heads a horse shape. Weedy seadragons are colorful creatures with red, orange, light yellow and purple features and are the largest of the seadragon species, reaching up to a foot and a half in length.

    “We are delighted to showcase these amazing members of the seahorse family,” said Zoo President & CEO Tom Schmid. “Weedy seadragons are exquisite fish, so well adapted to their environment. I know that our guests and members will be excited to see them, learn about them, and understand what we all can do to help protect our oceans and seas.”

    The nocturnal building closed in September 2022 for work to begin on the new area, which includes a 6-foot tall, 5-foot-deep, and 10-foot-long habitat for the seadragons. The new exhibit also includes murals, custom painted artwork and unique projection animation, and the building’s exterior saw an update during the process as well.

    Seadragons are currently listed as “Least Concern” on Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species™, but face threats from industrial fertilizers, plastics and other pollutants and commercial fishing practices.

    The new habitat opens as the zoo was once again granted full accreditation by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA).

    Typically reviewed every five years, to receive AZA accreditation zoos must meet or exceed standards in animal care and wellbeing, veterinary medicine, governance, wildlife conservation, research, education, finance and safety.

    The Columbus Zoo lost its AZA accreditation in the fall of 2021, stemming from concerns about “unacceptable use of some animals in outreach programs and allegations of previous fiscal misconduct,” according to a press release. Four former zoo employees, including former President & CEO Tom Stalf, were responsible for over $631,651 in losses for the zoo.

    “I’m proud of our team, both our staff and our board of directors,” Schmid said in regards to the new accreditation. “We have accomplished so much over the last 18 months. From restructuring our animal care program to the development of over 30 new financial policies and procedures, we are a much stronger institution today.”

    The zoo is also accredited by the Zoological Association of America (ZAA), and by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums (AMMPA).

    For more information, visit columbuszoo.org.

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    Susan Post
    Susan Post
    Susan is the editor of The Metropreneur and associate editor of Columbus Underground, and also covers small business and entrepreneurial news and the food scene in Central Ohio.Susan holds a degree in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing from The Ohio State University. She sits on the board of the Central Ohio Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and loves coffee, whiskey, cooking and spending time with friends and family.
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