Sharks in North America

Seth S. said:
I do, a couple that show the anal fin actually! The only slight problem is I don’t know how to add a picture on this forum haha. Never used one of these before. Also @SwampDonkey my assumption is she was brought in sometime in 2023, as based on my conversation with that staffer that year, it sounded recent.
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SeaWorld Orlando - ZooChat

Press this link and press the add media button on the top left!
 
BlobfishBoy said:
SeaWorld Orlando - ZooChat

Press this link and press the add media button on the top left!
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Unfortunately I appear to be too new a member to post it haha. I will be sure to post it up as soon as I reach the forum posts threshold needed. But for now, I'll make it my avatar so people can see it - you can really see the black anal fin tip in this picture even though it's kinda blurry as an avatar.
 
Seth S. said:
Unfortunately I appear to be too new a member to post it haha. I will be sure to post it up as soon as I reach the forum posts threshold needed. But for now, I'll make it my avatar so people can see it - you can really see the black anal fin tip in this picture even though it's kinda blurry as an avatar.
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Thanks for the picture! Smart work around ;).
 
Haha no problem @BlobfishBoy . Also, one other thing I can confirm - Shark Reef does indeed have pyjama sharks. I barely managed to see one there in their new temperate shark system, hidden in the artificial reef they’ve got in the middle of the tank. They are insanely good at camouflage so totally understandable that they were missed by some on trips there.
 
New report here for @Persephone and all others interested, should you like: I just went to the Gran Acuario Mazatlán and I have plenty of news about the sharks.

I am sorry to say that…basically the entire website is wrong. They don’t have:
  • Bignose sharks
  • Blacktip sharks
  • Sandbar sharks
  • Scalloped hammerhead sharks
This appears to be a case of somewhat…speculative website design, more of “what should be seen in these environments in the Sea of Cortez” rather than “what we actually have”. At least some of their staff is dissatisfied with this and views it as false advertising. I can however tell you what they actually do have:
  1. Horn shark (H. francisci) - one individual located in their large coral tank
  2. Lemon shark (N. brevirostris) - two juveniles in their biggest Sea of Cortez tank (~686k gal)
  3. Nurse shark (G. cirratum) - at least a dozen individuals, also in the SoC tank, but I can confirm not the native Pacific nurse shark (G. unami) and presumably a bit of a substitution as that species is endangered
  4. Silky shark (C. falciformis) - six subadults, also in the SoC tank and seemingly very healthy in a large tank like this
It’s a really awesome aquarium! Highly recommend everyone check it out.
 
Update to my update: the Gran Acuario actually has both G. cirratum and G. unami, aka the Pacific nurse shark, to my genuine surprise! There are a pair of individuals there that have the telltale lack of interdorsal space and anal and second dorsal fins that end at the origins of their caudal lobes. I was sent images of them by the staff and it appears they were mixed in with the pile of resting nurse sharks I saw, which prevented me from viewing them individually. It’s really awesome to see this unique and endangered Sea of Cortez species in an aquarium!
 
Local_Shark said:
Woah, please elaborate on this! Got a link to any announcement? I now see it on their website and I’m very surprised lol
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It was surprising, they posted on Facebook and Instagram yesterday:
Ripley's Aquarium Myrtle Beach on Instagram: "This isn’t an April Fools’ prank—we’d never TIDE the truth from you! Greater Hammerhead Sharks are here and making waves in the Dangerous Reef! ⬇️ Here’s how you can identify these FIN-nominal sharks. ⬇️ Look for their signature hammer-shaped head! Because their eyes are so far apart, this gives them an almost panoramic view of their surroundings — an ability no other shark has. You can often catch them swimming sideways! When a hammerhead tilts their head to the side, it increases their wingspan and allows them to swim more efficiently. Some studies show that they use at least 10% less energy by swimming this way. Hammerhead sharks are currently listed as Critically Endangered due mostly to unsustainable fishing practices. You can help support this species by opting for sustainable seafood, supporting hammerhead-centered conservation groups, and raising awareness of this incredible species. #RipleysMyrtleBeach #RipleysAquariums #RipleysAquariumofMyrtleBeach #MyrtleBeach #VisitMyrtleBeach #Aquarium #MyrtleBeachAquarium #RipleysPenguins #BroadwayattheBeach"
 
SwampDonkey said:
It was surprising, they posted on Facebook and Instagram yesterday:
Ripley's Aquarium Myrtle Beach on Instagram: "This isn’t an April Fools’ prank—we’d never TIDE the truth from you! Greater Hammerhead Sharks are here and making waves in the Dangerous Reef! ⬇️ Here’s how you can identify these FIN-nominal sharks. ⬇️ Look for their signature hammer-shaped head! Because their eyes are so far apart, this gives them an almost panoramic view of their surroundings — an ability no other shark has. You can often catch them swimming sideways! When a hammerhead tilts their head to the side, it increases their wingspan and allows them to swim more efficiently. Some studies show that they use at least 10% less energy by swimming this way. Hammerhead sharks are currently listed as Critically Endangered due mostly to unsustainable fishing practices. You can help support this species by opting for sustainable seafood, supporting hammerhead-centered conservation groups, and raising awareness of this incredible species. #RipleysMyrtleBeach #RipleysAquariums #RipleysAquariumofMyrtleBeach #MyrtleBeach #VisitMyrtleBeach #Aquarium #MyrtleBeachAquarium #RipleysPenguins #BroadwayattheBeach"
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That is so interesting, they appear to be distinctly juvenile sharks. It's odd because I was told by SW Orlando employees that their two great hammerheads (Dutch and Dillon) were subadults that Georgia initially brought in while they were trying to get the proper mix of individuals for Sharks: Predators of the Deep. They were given to Orlando from there. Makes me think that these individuals at Ripley's (however many there are) were brought in themselves or otherwise not from GA's program.
 
Local_Shark said:
That is so interesting, they appear to be distinctly juvenile sharks. It's odd because I was told by SW Orlando employees that their two great hammerheads (Dutch and Dillon) were subadults that Georgia initially brought in while they were trying to get the proper mix of individuals for Sharks: Predators of the Deep. They were given to Orlando from there. Makes me think that these individuals at Ripley's (however many there are) were brought in themselves or otherwise not from GA's program.
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Great points, I don't know the answer but I would be interested to know as well.
 
Speaking of Great Hammerheads; not sure if the list is still being maintained, but Adventure Aquarium no longer has Great Hammerhead as their last individual passed away last August (per the news thread). This makes Ripley's acquisition of the species more exciting since it's a rare species in captivity to begin with, even if you now have to travel a few extra hundred miles south to see them.
 
Clearwater Marine Aquarium just posted that they have short-tail nurse sharks. They appear to be in the small aquarium in the Sea Caverns that had epaulette sharks when I last went last year. I should be going back sometime in the next few months.
3K views · 129 reactions | Dive deeper into the shark species found at Clearwater Marine Aquarium as we celebrate shark awareness this week! You may be familiar with larger nurse sharks, but have you seen the much smaller short-tail nurse shark species? Although they are part of the same family and may appear somewhat similar, these are very distinct species! Short-tail nurse sharks only grow up to 2.5 feet in length compared to the Atlantic nurse sharks that can reach 10-14 feet. The critically endangered short-tail nurse shark is found in shallow coastal waters in the Western Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa, where they have been declining due to coral reef habitat loss. Similar to their larger cousins, short-tail nurse sharks are mainly nocturnal and bottom dwellers. You can see the fascinating short-tail nurse sharks in the Sea Cavern on your next visit to CMA! Tip: visit early in the morning or later in the day to see them when they're most active! | Clearwater Marine Aquarium
 
SwampDonkey said:
Clearwater Marine Aquarium just posted that they have short-tail nurse sharks. They appear to be in the small aquarium in the Sea Caverns that had epaulette sharks when I last went last year. I should be going back sometime in the next few months.
3K views · 129 reactions | Dive deeper into the shark species found at Clearwater Marine Aquarium as we celebrate shark awareness this week! You may be familiar with larger nurse sharks, but have you seen the much smaller short-tail nurse shark species? Although they are part of the same family and may appear somewhat similar, these are very distinct species! Short-tail nurse sharks only grow up to 2.5 feet in length compared to the Atlantic nurse sharks that can reach 10-14 feet. The critically endangered short-tail nurse shark is found in shallow coastal waters in the Western Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa, where they have been declining due to coral reef habitat loss. Similar to their larger cousins, short-tail nurse sharks are mainly nocturnal and bottom dwellers. You can see the fascinating short-tail nurse sharks in the Sea Cavern on your next visit to CMA! Tip: visit early in the morning or later in the day to see them when they're most active! | Clearwater Marine Aquarium
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This is big news! The species is growing more and more common in American aquaria. I believe Tennessee was the first to acquire them according to my friend at Sea Life Arizona, who also did. Assuming both still have them that could make three holdings with Clearwater added. CMA could definitely use some more sharks so I'm glad to see it.
 
Tough photo but I snapped this shark in with the Commerson's Dolphins at Aquatica back in February. I see in this thread that the park apparently has a Sharptooth Houndshark mixed with the dolphins and Leopard Sharks. Is this animal it?

551350179_1288026449123668_6110314388014542760_n.jpg


~Thylo
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Tough photo but I snapped this shark in with the Commerson's Dolphins at Aquatica back in February. I see in this thread that the park apparently has a Sharptooth Houndshark mixed with the dolphins and Leopard Sharks. Is this animal it?

551350179_1288026449123668_6110314388014542760_n.jpg


~Thylo
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Yes it is, here is one of my photos from July 2024:
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