São Paulo Aquarium Veterinarian Gives Birth to Shark
South American Chronicle Network ReportTwo juvenile ‘cat sharks’ were recently born in a water tank in Santos City, along the coast of São Paulo State. Four of the ‘cat sharks’ eggs have been hatching for six months. Staff members captured footage of one of the newborn sharks. This is the first time a shark has been born in the aquarium, and the public is expected to be able to visit the baby sharks within a month.
Adult ‘cat sharks’ arrived at the aquarium in August 2019, living in a 3,000-liter saltwater tank. They adapted well to the aquarium’s conditions and subsequently laid 14 eggs.
This is the first time this species of shark has reproduced in an aquarium. Staff members specially prepared a fish tank for the egg hatching.
“We prepared a special tank where we could observe the eggs daily, adjust the water temperature, and filter the water. Everything was prepared to ensure the newborn sharks were born successfully.” Aquarium manager Alex said.
Of the four eggs, two were born over the weekend. One was born on Saturday last weekend, and the other on Sunday. The manager said that the eggs contained yolk, which was the food for the baby sharks. They decided to ‘deliver’ the baby sharks when they saw the yolk was almost gone.
“One was born on its own, and the other needed assistance from staff. We cut open the eggshells and helped it out.”
Footage was captured of the veterinarian assisting the baby shark in its ‘delivery’. The two baby sharks are 9 cm long and weigh 7 grams and are in good condition. The remaining two sharks may be born in the coming days.
“This is the first time we have had the opportunity to encounter this situation in the aquarium.” The director said. Visitors will need to wait a while to see the baby sharks. Their mouths are currently less than 1 centimeter, and feeding them is a challenge.
“We will feed them fish or shrimp to see if they accept it and whether they can adapt. If they can eat normally, we can then put them back into the parents’ tank.” The administrator said.
‘Cat sharks’ come from Southeast Asia, and adult fish can grow up to 70 cm in length. This fish is named ‘cat shark’ because it is nocturnal and resembles cats, so it is named ‘cat shark’.
