The National Marine Aquarium (NMA) is now the only aquarium in the UK with sandbar sharks.
Sandbar sharks are a very powerful looking animal, with larger fins relative to their body size, compared to other shark species. Despite this, they are calm, non-aggressive, and very easy to dive with.
The sandbar sharks have joined the NMA from SEA LIFE Brighton. They will stay as permanent residents at the NMA in the Atlantic Ocean exhibit.
The Atlantic Ocean exhibit is the deepest in the UK and the largest single tank containing 2.5 million litres of water. The tank is home to some of the NMA’s most iconic residents, including a 2m lemon shark, 2.5m sand tiger sharks, nurse sharks, and the only ocellated eagle rays in the UK. The exhibit allows the public to walk underneath the tank, 10.8m down and view the incredible marine species from a unique view.
James Wright, Curator at the National Marine Aquarium, said: “It’s fantastic that we have been able to welcome these two new sandbar sharks to the Aquarium – the only place to see them in the UK. We now have two females and a male shark in the exhibit. All of the sharks are mature, we are hoping that they may breed naturally in the future.
“The new sharks have been through a period of settling in, taking residence in the acclimation tank while they got used to their new surroundings, and to ensure that the shark’s re-location to the NMA was as smooth as possible.”
Watch a video of their arrival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85zlL5082E8
Related Members
-
NewsExtinct in the Wild chick hatches ahead of hopeful first wild release 15th May, 2024An extinct-in-the-wild sihek (also known as Guam kingfisher) has successfully hatched, marking a key milestone of an ambitious project to return the species…
-
NewsThe Deep's Tribute to Honorary Alderman David Gemmell OBE 14th May, 2024Honorary Alderman David Gemmell OBE (1940-2024) was Chairman of The Deep from its inception to the time of his sad passing at the end of last month. …
-
NewsEndangered penguin chicks hatch at Edinburgh Zoo 14th May, 2024The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has shared images of the first tiny penguin chicks to have hatched this breeding season at Edinburgh…