Bull Shark In Aquarium

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Hammerhead Shark Paradise Island

Determining the lifespan of sharks is a difficult task as they are very tough to monitor in the ocean because of their migratory and feeding patterns. Even more, the life expectancy of sharks in captivity is considerably shorter than those in the wild, making impractical to generate deductions from those individuals in aquariums.

Lately, GPS technology has provided a new approach to tracking migration patterns and life habits of sharks, providing more precise data about them.

Shark lifespan varies by species. Although most of them live 20 to 30 years in the wild, there are some that live much longer than others.

For example, the spiny dogfish has one of the longest lifespans on Earth with more than 100 years, while the blue shark in the wild has an average life expectancy of 15-16 years. Nevertheless, as we mention before, blue shark lifespan lowers down to 8 years when held in captivity, perhaps as a result of the inactivity inherent to captivity.

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are also thought to live above 100 years, suggesting that the time to reach sexual maturity is long and the offspring will require more time to born. Some experts believe that the number of growth rings on a whale shark’s vertebrae may be an indicator of its age. In captivity, whale sharks are not comfortable, and in a few cases they have died within days, but at most, they have reached only eight years.

Some scientists believe that the life expectancy of the Great White Sharks is around 30 years (Levine, 1988) but other research indicates that they can reach up to 40.

The lifespan of Tiger Sharks in the wild is believed to be 27 years in average, although some may live up to 50 years of age. Like with other species, tiger sharks in captivity do not live as much as in wildlife reaching only 17 to 20 years.

The repercussion of captivity in the lifespan of Leopard Sharks is certainly dramatic; if they are in small tanks, they have a low expectancy of approximately nine years while large aquarium tanks can help them to have a longer life that can reach up to 25. In the wild, their life expectancy is 30 years.

The typical lifespan in the wild for Hammerhead Sharks is from 20 to 30 years approximately.

Sandbar sharks or Brown sharks are considered to live between 20 and 30 years. Research made by Joung (2004) identified this to be about 20 years, while Sminkey (1996) mention that sandbar sharks can live more than 30 years.

Counting the quantity of growth rings that develop on their vertebrae can determine the age of the silky or Blackspot sharks as with other species, with each ring standing for around one year of life. Silky Sharks can live up 25 years in the wild.

 
Links to other pages in this site

How Much Do Sharks Weight?
Why Are Sharks Dangerous?
How Long Do Mother Sharks Carry Their Babies?
What Color Is The Hammerhead Shark?
How Many Years Does A Shark Live For?

THE CHALLENGES OF THE CAPTIVITY

The shark species most wanted by aquariums is the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), which has awakened the fear and fascination since its representation (exaggerated) in the 1975 film JAWS. The reality is that attempts to keep them in a huge tank in front of hundreds of curious eyes have not been very successful. In general, large species such as the Carcharodon carcharias are difficult to catch and transport. Their sharp senses are disturbed with the use of structures and machines, to take them out of the water, their weight can damage their organs while carrying them, because their cartilaginous skeleton does not provide the support needed for transport.

Besides, if an aquarium wants a great white shark in their tanks, it must fit a space large enough and adequate to its needs. The life of a shark in an aquarium also includes satisfying its feeding needs.

It is very expensive to keep sharks in captivity which is also another reason why they often aren’t found in aquariums. They require saltwater tanks with an enough room to move around, and they consume large amounts of food daily.

In 2004, the Monterey Bay Aquarium managed to condition a space for a great white shark, and it stayed there for six months, after which it was released back into its natural habitat. The attempt was made for the first time in 1980 when the same aquarium kept an individual of the same species in captivity but unfortunately died after 11 days at the facilities. That time the conditions were not adequately met.

To guarantee an optimal life development in captivity, it is important that aquariums or any place that keep sharks fulfill these conditions:

1. Sharks can move comfortably during their transportation to their next habitat.

2. Sharks natural movements and reactions are not limited or restricted. Some shark species like the great white shark are susceptible to stress if they do not execute physical activities.

3. The tank that houses the shark should be adequate and free of obstacles that hinder any of its movements.

4. The environment should not have human artifacts, machines or tools that stimulate their sense of electroreception.

UNFORTUNATE CASES

Although some small species are prone to survive in aquariums, it is dangerous to use small places to exhibit or keep them. There have been cases of people selling sharks illegally to people who do not have the skills to keep a shark alive and healthy. Sometimes, when the young ones grow, space can become more limited, and those who own them are forced to make some adverse decisions for the animals, such as their release into the sea without previously experienced life in the wild.

Sharks are not domestic animals, so their care is more special than dogs cats or ornament fish. Keeping an individual involves an enormous investment of time and money and requires the knowledge about their life and care. Therefore it is an important responsibility.

PROSPECTS OF A LIFE IN CAPTIVITY.

Captivity is not an ideal condition for any animal, but this view changes when it comes to threatened species. In the case of sharks, many of them face serious dangers, and it is important to take measures to protect and preserve such species.

Life in captivity may be favorable to their survival to some degree. For example, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has made efforts to provide information on the species and it is a pioneer in exhibiting white sharks. However, some organizations disagree with the latter practice, and the aquarium has not keep white sharks again.

If there is an advantage of having sharks within human limits, it is the possibility to investigate their biological, physiological and health conditions that allow an assessment and subsequent establishment of conservation measures for the affected species. However, many experts agree that sharks in captivity don’t follow the usual behavior that they would in the wild. Therefore observing them in captivity to learn about how their life in the wild isn’t very useful at all.

It should not be forgotten that sharks are not “made” to live indoors. They need space and freedom like all animals. If it is not strictly useful for the survival of the species, do not support its captivity.

Sources:

www.peta.org/blog/great-white-shark-dies-after-just-three-days-in-aquarium/

http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/experience/explore/programs-activities/animal-interactions/journey-with-gentle-giants/swim-with-whale-sharks

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharks_in_captivity

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