Following a record-breaking rainfall, spectators in Australia are taking in dozens of performances by local and international artists.

These strange critters, also known as weedy seadragons, have been seen in Cronulla, Malabar, and the Central Coast, and it is estimated that there are ten times as many of them as usual when it comes to beach clean-ups.

Dr. David Booth, a professor of marine ecology at the University of Technology Sydney, told the Sydney Morning Herald that the harsh weather, pollution being pushed into the water, and strong surf were all contributing factors

Common seadragons are another name for weedy seadragons. Only in Australia can you find them on the east and south beaches. The seahorse’s little, leaf-shaped relatives rarely leave their homes during their lifetime, only venturing up to 50 meters.

It comes as a huge shock that they have wandered thus far.

Lead researcher Dr. Selma Klanten continued, “This can render them vulnerable to loss of habitat and altering environmental variables.”

Because to their colorful colors, unique shapes, and brilliant qualities, they are highly well-liked by divers.

Dr. Booth is afraid that as a result of climate change, northern populations are dwindling and dragons will move south to cooler waters. “There might have been seven to eight you’d see in a dive at Kurnell, Botany Bay; today there’s two to three,” he said.

He uses artificial intelligence and hobby divers to locate and identify weedy seadragons. He employs cutting-edge software so he can recognize specific weedy dragons based on their distinctive pattern and colors.

Dr. Booth has encouraged anyone who finds a weedy seadragon to send a photo to aid with his research even though it is forbidden to handle the corpse of one.

These weedy sea dragons are known as “tough little devils” because they can hang on to kelp in strong currents, yet their tendency to stay at home puts them in danger during storms.

Prior to being downgraded to “least concern” in 2019, the species had been designated as “threatened species” on the Red List of Endangered Species maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

In 2022, a number of odd marine species began washing up on Australian shores. A beachgoer recently noticed a water monster with what appeared to be a human mouth.