Humans are also putting them under pressure through hunting them for their oily meat, and fins.Īccording to research conducted by the IUCN, the numbers of these animals are reducing and they are at a very high risk of becoming extinct. Since these sharks are relatively small compared to the larger shark species, they are at risk from other larger sharks like great whites, etc. Zebra sharks are generally harmless to humans and they’re also a top choice for aquarium displays because they are hardy and do quite well even in captivity. They come up at night to hunt for prey like mollusks, crustaceans, small bony fish, and possibly sea snakes too. This species is nocturnal and spends most of the day lying motionless on the sea floor unless disturbed. These stripes fade away as the sharks grow older. In fact, the name “Zebra shark” is from the juveniles of this species because of the zebra-like stripes on their bodies. Young zebra sharks are very different in appearance with light vertical stripes on brown skin. This shark swims throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific waters.Īn adult zebra shark has five longitudinal ridges on a cylindrical-shaped body, a low caudal fin that’s almost half its total body length, and a pattern of dark spots on a pale skin. The Zebra Shark is a distinctly beautiful species of carpet shark and the only member of its family: Stegostomatidae. Zebra Sharks Are One Of Many Endangered Sharks Today. Guests can get up close and get inspired by 13 species of shark at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium whilst learning about them and what we can all do to help conserve and protect them.The Zebra Shark is distinctly beautiful and it’s one of the few sharks that can reproduce without mating. Shark Awareness Day aims to change this misunderstanding and draw awareness to the plight of sharks as keystone species that play a vital role in maintaining the delicate balance of marine ecosystems.Įvery year, unsustainable and unregulated fishing practices see millions of sharks killed around the world, and the future of many shark species is now in peril. Most of these species pose little to no risk to people, however, they have been widely misinterpreted by people and are often feared. There are over 400 species of shark recorded around the world. Baby Steg’s favorite food is prawns!Īdults can grow to be well over 3 meters long and are not only beautiful because of their leopard-like spots but also a long and flowing tail (caudal fin). Our adult zebra sharks, Baby Steg’s parents, can be seen on display at the aquarium within the Day and Night on the Reef zone which is home to a huge variety of fish including other incredible species of sharks and rays.Īlthough Zebra sharks can be seen swimming slowly and gracefully through our reefs, they are primarily bottom dwelling and feed on crustaceans and mollusks. From hatching with the stripe pattern, designed to mimic banded sea snakes, she has started to develop the species’ well known and striking spots!" said Taylah Stark, Aquarist - SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium. "We have been taking photos of the pup daily to document its incredible transformation and fast growth. We all know the old saying that ‘a leopard can’t change its spots’, but the zebra shark is a natural beauty at defying this old rule of thumb! We're offering the pup up to five feeds a day and are looking to graduate it to a larger habitat soon, where she will continue to grow big and strong until she is ready to go onto display with the other amazing tropical reef species.” "Baby Steg is thriving and hitting all the expected milestones. The pup has been nicknamed 'Baby Steg' after the species’ scientific name ( Stegostoma tigrinum) and she is a girl! In Australia, they are found primarily in the tropical waters across our west, north and east coasts. The species is found in coastal waters throughout the tropical Indo-West Pacific. Newly hatched Zebra shark pups have distinct black and white stripes which begin to fade and transition to a spotted pattern during the first couple of months of development – which is exactly why they can be referred to as both zebra and leopard sharks! ![]() Zebra sharks are oviparous, laying large (17cm in length) dark coloured egg cases that have tufts of silky fibers which act as sticky anchors to secure them their underwater habitats. Zebra sharks, aka leopard sharks, go through an amazing pattern and colour transformation as they mature. SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium is thrilled to announce the hatching of a Zebra Shark pup, just in time to celebrate Shark Awareness Day.
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