Bull sharks in captivity.
- Thread starter elefante
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In Australia, Sea World Gold Coast and Sydney Zoo currently have Bull Sharks. Sea World has a huge specimen and Sydney, a small one. Here are a few photos of the exhibit at Sea World Gold Coast for their bull shark. It's open-topped so it can be viewed from above:
Bull Shark has also been on display at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, in the Shark Research Lab exhibit. Obtained in 1978, and had pups. Unfortunately no longer on display.
Churaumi Fish Encyclopedia (Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium's website with species holdings):
Bull shark
Churaumi Fish Encyclopedia (Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium's website with species holdings):
Bull shark
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Aquarium of the Pacific has previously kept Bull Shark as well.
Aquarium of the Pacific website:
Bull Shark
Aquarium of the Pacific website:
Bull Shark
Nice pictures. I never knew Sea World had parks outside of the United States.In Australia, Sea World Gold Coast and Sydney Zoo currently have Bull Sharks. Sea World has a huge specimen and Sydney, a small one. Here are a few photos of the exhibit at Sea World Gold Coast for their bull shark. It's open-topped so it can be viewed from above:
The Australian Sea World is not associated with the American SeaWorld franchise. However, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is under construction currently and will be the first park outside the US, upon opening.
Oklahoma Aquarium has had bull sharks for years and they are quite proud of that fact. Their website states that "The Oklahoma Aquarium's Shark Adventure is the only exhibit in the entire Western Hemisphere where bull sharks can be seen". The tank is 380,000 gallons and contains 10 bull sharks and 3 nurse sharks.
Here are two of @geomorph 's photos of the exhibit (which has a visitor tunnel):
Here are two of @geomorph 's photos of the exhibit (which has a visitor tunnel):
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Bib Fortuna
Well-Known Member
Who designed this horrible shark tank ? Sit, six, one would say to this architect in Germany.
By the way, the question should not be where to keep bull sharks caged in tanks in true captivity, but whether to keep pelagic sharks caged in captivity in general. Especially in view of the quantities of sharks that are sent over the Jordan River year after year in the ever increasing number of aquariums around the world.
And then these aquariums also claim that they protect sharks.... good joke, which unfortunately goes at the expense of the sharks. There are some species that can be kept well caged, and even reproduce, bull sharks and all other pelagic shark species are not among them, while whale sharks have proven to be amazingly resistant to captivity - yet even these always die before the age that they can reach, if they were still swimming freely in the sea.
By the way, the question should not be where to keep bull sharks caged in tanks in true captivity, but whether to keep pelagic sharks caged in captivity in general. Especially in view of the quantities of sharks that are sent over the Jordan River year after year in the ever increasing number of aquariums around the world.
And then these aquariums also claim that they protect sharks.... good joke, which unfortunately goes at the expense of the sharks. There are some species that can be kept well caged, and even reproduce, bull sharks and all other pelagic shark species are not among them, while whale sharks have proven to be amazingly resistant to captivity - yet even these always die before the age that they can reach, if they were still swimming freely in the sea.
Bull Sharks are not necessarily pelagic. Yes, they are found in open water, but they prefer shallower coastal waters and rivers/lakes.
Bull Sharks can be kept well, and have reproduced in captivity. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium has successfully bred the species, and if lifespan is anything to go by regarding the shark's suitability for captivity, captive Bull Sharks have lived to ages of 25-30, compared to the 12-16 of wild Bull Sharks.
I agree that there are sharks that just do not do well in captivity, but Bull Sharks are not one of them.
What a hideous exhibit! Have the designers never heard of substrate? That plus some other fish (groupers, batfish, trevallies, stingrays perhaps?) would make that a much nicer exhibit.Oklahoma Aquarium has had bull sharks for years and they are quite proud of that fact. Their website states that "The Oklahoma Aquarium's Shark Adventure is the only exhibit in the entire Western Hemisphere where bull sharks can be seen". The tank is 380,000 gallons and contains 10 bull sharks and 3 nurse sharks.
Here are some photos of the exhibit (which has a visitor tunnel):
Found this website, it lists nine aquariums that have had Bull Sharks. Probably very outdated, last updated 2009, but interesting nonetheless.
Bull Shark Carcharhinus leucas (Valenciennes, 1839) in Captivity
Bull Shark Carcharhinus leucas (Valenciennes, 1839) in Captivity
Jambi
Well-Known Member
That tank looks horrible. There's nothing like rocks or substrate or anything! I've seen goldfish bowls with more going on than that.Oklahoma Aquarium has had bull sharks for years and they are quite proud of that fact. Their website states that "The Oklahoma Aquarium's Shark Adventure is the only exhibit in the entire Western Hemisphere where bull sharks can be seen". The tank is 380,000 gallons and contains 10 bull sharks and 3 nurse sharks.
Here are two of @geomorph 's photos of the exhibit (which has a visitor tunnel):
Salt Merchant
Well-Known Member
SeaWorld Ancol in Jakarta (Again, not associated with the American SeaWorld) used to have an 2-3 metres long female bull shark in the mid-2000's until early 2010's, she was mistaken to be an grey reef shark. The bull shark, alongside a pair of actual grey reef sharks, is a wild caught from Palabuhanratu in southern Java. Sometimes in the 2010's, she was euthanized for being "too dangerous".
I haven't found many pictures or videos of the living individual at the aquarium, but her preserved corpse can be seen at the aquarium's museum.
I haven't found many pictures or videos of the living individual at the aquarium, but her preserved corpse can be seen at the aquarium's museum.
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Bib Fortuna
Well-Known Member
Well, apparently the breeding was not so successful after all.
Six bull sharks made themselves captives when they got stranded in a lake on a golf course. I be interested to know if they are still thriving.
Shark-infested golf course! - Practical Fishkeeping
Shark-infested golf course! - Practical Fishkeeping
JoJo22
Well-Known Member
Zootierliste lists another 2 current holdings of the species in Europe that haven't been mentioned here, Meeresaquarium Zella-Mehlis in Germany (2 Sharks since 2014) and Acuario Poema del Mar in Las Palmas/Gran Canaria, Spain, no further info. My only visit to zella-mehlis was before that time and I haven't been to the other institution, so I can't provide more details, unfortunately.
What do you mean? Is keeping a Bull Shark for 40 years and it giving birth to pups, and then those pups having their own pups not successful?
A bull shark in our care for 40 years! Updating the world record for the longest captivity of a bull shark!!
Dr Bright N04
Well-Known Member
Forgive me if I am wrong, but when I was very young, I think I saw bull sharks in the Cancun Interactive Aquarium. Although I can not find any shark species on there website today, I found this picture while doing research on it from what looks like many years ago. I have no clue on what happened to the sharks, or if they are still there, but I highly believe that this aquarium had them at some point in the past.
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium tends to rotate their shark species in their main tank; they have several offshow holding areas. Periodically they will switch sharks in and out based on if the individuals get along or not. So if the website says "off display" it doesn't mean they no longer have it.
Unenlagia90
Well-Known Member
Xiamen Underwater World has bull sharks, Xiaomeisha Ocean Park (now relocating) and Shanghai Ocean Aquarium used to have bull sharks.
Those data are from the videos I found in Bilibili, and what I’ve seen in Xiaomeisha Ocean Park when I was young.
Those data are from the videos I found in Bilibili, and what I’ve seen in Xiaomeisha Ocean Park when I was young.