Shark

Facts about Tunnel:

• The shark tank is the largest and one of the most effective teaching tools we have at the Newport .

• At 385,000 gallons of salt water, this tank brings and people together emphasizing the importance of ocean conservation and shark preservation.

• The tank ranges from 9 ½ feet – 20 feet in depth and 72 – 78 degrees F.

• The acrylic are 2 ½ inches thick, and the acrylic bottom can hold the weight of 2 semi- trucks.

• The tank has 4 pumps that can filter out all the water in about 1 ½ hours.

• Sharks are opportunistic feeders and occasionally eat a fish or two from the exhibit, but as they do in the ocean they often feed on fish that are sick or injured.

• There are over 500 known species of sharks in the world. While most shark species are threatened by humans due to overfishing and habitat degradation, less than 10% are considered a danger to humans.

Facts about Shark Senses

A shark has a well-tuned network of senses that work together to help it find prey. The shark relies on the same senses as a human with a couple extra additions.

Hearing – Sound is often the first sense to detect prey since sounds travels 4.5 times faster underwater than it does on land. Sharks have an inner ear that detects sound, acceleration, and gravity and the lateral line which detects low frequency vibrations.

The lateral line is a series of fluid-filled canals that sense low frequency vibrations.

Sharks are most attracted to low frequency vibrations since this usually indicates a wounded or sick animal. This frequency ranges from 25 to 100 Hz. The lateral line is comprised of a series of fluid filled canals with sensory cells called neuromasts that are exposed to the surrounding water. Tiny hair-like structures on the neuromasts detect vibration frequencies in the water – much like a cat’s whiskers – and stimulate the neuromasts to send a message to the shark’s brain.

Smell – Sharks are often referred to as “swimming noses” because this sense is so strong. External nostrils lead to the olfactory organs which give the shark its superb smelling capability. It is true that sharks can sense a drop of blood and certain amino acids in the water from miles away.

Sight – The eyes of a shark are extremely sensitive to changes in light due to their high number of rods which allows them to see the smallest change in shadows. Their eye has a layer of reflecting plates called tapetum lucidum which reflects light a second time through the retina – also similar to a cat, but the shark’s eye is twice as effective. Like humans – the shark’s pupil can dilate and contract.

Taste – Like humans, sharks prefer some tastes over others and will spit food out if it does not like the taste. Sharks, also like humans, have taste buds on the inside of their mouths. Sharks are often studied mouthing their prey to acquire its taste, and this seems to be the shark’s deciding factor on whether to eat it or leave it alone. Depending on the shark this curious mouthing could merely inflict a minor wound or be devastating. Either way the shark is only pursuing its curiosity.

Touch – A shark also uses the lateral line to detect movement in the water around. Sometimes the shark will even bump into an object to distinguish if an object is prey or not.

Nurse Shark

• Maximum length: 14 ft; Common length around 10 ft

• This nocturnal shark is a strong swimmer by night but is quite sluggish during the day and can be found resting on the bottom.

• It uses its muscular pectoral fins to move along the bottom and rests in groups of 2 – 20 fellow nurse sharks.

• Its diet consists of small fish, lobster, shrimp, crab, sea urchins, octopus, squid, and snails.

• Reproduction is ovoviviparous - eggs develop and stay inside mother and are nourished off egg yolk until hatching time. Litters range from 20 – 30 pups that are born 8 – 11 inches in length.

• The barbels under its nose help it locate food buried in the sandy bottom.

• We have 1 female in our tank named Ziggy. She was part of a private collection where she was kept in a tank that was too small, causing permanent damage to her spine which is noticeable when she swims.

Sand Tiger

• Maximum length is 10 ½ ft; Common length is 7.2 – 8.4 ft (males) and 7.2 – 9.8 ft (females).

• Also known as the Raggedtooth Shark or the Grey Nurse Shark.

• Can be seen swimming with its mouth ajar, making it look more ferocious than its actual temperament. This laid back species will only become agitated if provoked.

• Our Sand Tigers (3 males) are: Dan – 29 years old, Cal – 17 years, and Al – 6 years.

• Can be found in inshore waters such as shallow bays, surf zones, rock and coral reefs to waters as deep as 630 feet.

• To achieve neutral buoyancy, the shark will gulp air at the surface.

• Reproduction is ovoviviparous – one pup is born from each uterus (2 pups total) with the smaller one being consumed by its womb sibling.

• Eats mostly fish along with squid and crustaceans.

• This species is found in most warm waters and is common along eastern US coast.

Shark Ray

• Can grow to be almost 9 ft long

• Our three shark rays are: Sweet Pea (female), Scooter (male) and Sunshine (female) – All shark rays are part of the Shark Ray Breeding Program

• The Newport Aquarium was the first aquarium in the Western Hemisphere to display shark rays. They came on display in 2005.

• Shark Rays are relatives of sharks and rays, but they belong to the Guitarfish family.

• Its teeth are like crushing plates, and it feeds mostly on crustaceans found on the bottom. Crustaceans include crab, shrimp, mollusks, and boney fish.

• Shark Rays are major targets for shark fining and have been listed Vulnerable by IUCN (International Union for Conservation Nature). Due to their rarity and facing conservation threats, the Shark Ray is called the “panda of the aquatic world.”

• This peaceful species can be found swimming in costal waters of the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. Typically it is found near the bottom of sandy or muddy habitats and near rocky bottoms, coral reefs, and shipwrecks.

• This is a viviparous species, although not much else is known about the Shark Rays breeding habits.

Zebra Shark

• The average length of this species is around 8 feet, and the maximum length is 11ft

• They can be found swimming near coral reefs and intertidal zones.

• The name “Zebra” can be deceiving since adults have spots, but as young pups the Zebra Shark has stripes that fade into spots as the shark matures.

• This species is oviparous.

• The Zebra Shark is listed as a Vulnerable species by the IUCN Red List due to overfishing and degradation of coral reef habitats.

• Its diet consists of mollusks, crustaceans, and small bony fish.

• This species is docile, slow-moving, and is easily approachable for underwater divers.

• They are often found on the bottom propped-up on their pectoral fins with their mouths open facing the current. This allows respiration without swimming.

• We have a male in our tank named Ren.

Blacktip Reef Shark

• This species grows to be around 5 feet in length.

• As the name implies, all fins have a black tip.

• This is the most commonly encountered shark in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean. This species is very inquisitive when divers enter the water, but it can easily be driven away. It can become aggressive when fish are presented, but they seldom pose a threat to human divers.

• It can be found in shallow waters of tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Indo- Pacific.

• This is a viviparous species with 2-4 pups per litter.

• Its diet consists of fish, mollusks, and crustaceans.

• This species is considered Near Threatened by the IUCN due to overfishing.

• We have 7 black tips in our tank.

Honeycomb Stingray

• This large species can reach a disc width of 6.6 feet with a total length of 20 feet, and weighing in at 260 lbs. Their tail can be 3 times the length of their body.

• This species is viviparous, and females have litters of up to five pups. The gestation period is about 1 year.

• During the day this species is usually found on the sea floor buried under sand.

• Its diet consists of crab, shrimp, bi-valves, gastropods, worms, and bony fish.

• Can be found in the Pacific Ocean and South Africa to northern .

• The Honeycomb Stingray is colored with brown spots all over its body which resemble a honeycomb pattern.

• It coils in a rosette formation with its barb sticking up as a warning for predators.

• The IUCN has listed this species as Vulnerable due to its large size, overfishing, and being prone to be caught in nets.

• We have 1 male in our tank.

Southern Stingray

• The Southern Stingray can reach a wingtip to wingtip length of 6 ½ feet.

• This species is widely distributed along the Western Atlantic coast from Southern , through the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, to Southeastern Brazil.

• Its body is a diamond shape that can vary in colors ranging from olive, grey, and brown with a white underbelly.

• The species is ovoviviparous, and gestation has been measured at 135 – 226 days in captivity. Litters can range from 2 – 10 pups.

• Their diet consists of bivalves, worms, and crustaceans. The species hunts at night, flapping its pectoral fins to stir up the sand hiding its prey.

• Their barb is made of a serrated spine that is covered in venomous mucus.

• We have 1 female in our tank.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle “”

• The average Loggerhead Sea Turtle reaches around 3 feet in length and weighs about 300 lbs. It is the world’s largest hard-shelled turtle.

• Skin color can range from yellow to brown and the shell is typically reddish-brown.

• These turtles can be found in temperate to tropical waters all over the world. They spend most of their lives in the open ocean and shallow coastal waters, rarely coming ashore. Females will appear briefly on shore to lay clutches of eggs.

• The name ‘loggerhead” refers to the species’ large head.

• They can stay underwater for up to 2 hours.

• Our sea turtle, Denver, hails from Denver, . He was hatched in November 1994 and has lived his whole life in captivity. The UWF allows only 3 releasable sea turtles to be kept in captivity per year for educational purposes, but due to a tank mate from Denver’s 1st institution, Denver lost his back left flipper and would not qualify for release.

• Denver is playful with the divers and is curious when guests come to visit him in the Theater.

• The IUCN lists the Loggerhead Sea Turtle as Endangered due to continued human hunting for consumption, becoming entangled in fishing nets, habitat degradation, and slow reproductive rates.

Nassau Grouper

• This deep water fish can be found at depths of at least 430 feet below the surface.

• These slow-moving, large-mouthed fish are less shy than other groupers and often allows Scuba divers to approach them.

• The Nassau Grouper can be distinguished by its five large bands and has the ability to change its normal body color (reddish-brown) from white to very dark.

• This species can be found among reefs in the Atlantic Ocean, from Bermuda, , and the northern Bahamas to southern Brazil.

• Mass spawning occurs during the full-moon between December and January. Glover’s Reef, off the Belizean coast, is one of the last spawning grounds left for the Nassau Grouper. A permanent MPA (marine protected area) has been established here, and the spawning area is closed for a 3-month period during spawning season.

• This species is considered Endangered by the IUCN based on its high rate of population decline. Over the past 30 years, this species’ population has declined by 60%.