A leafy seadragon in the waters off Wool Bay, South Australia

A leafy seadragon in the waters off Wool Bay, South Australia

Australia’s southern coast is leafy seadragon territory, so it’s the place to go if you want to see the camouflaged critter in its native habitat. This amazing specimen was photographed near Wool Bay. The leafy seadragon has evolved to resemble harmless plant material, an easy way to dodge predators. It’s a relative of the seahorse, but isn’t quite the swimmer that its cousin is, so the camouflage gives it a big advantage.