Monterey Aquarium Nabs A Great White Shark

MONTEREY, Calif. — A great white shark caught in the waters off Southern California is on display at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where it can be viewed in person or via a live webcam.

Marine scientists hope the new addition will inspire visitors to support ocean conservation.

Aquarium officials say the 4-foot, 7-inch male shark was transferred from Malibu to Monterey and placed in the aquarium's Open Sea exhibit Wednesday night. They hope to keep it on display for the next several months.

It's the sixth time Monterey Bay has exhibited a young great white shark. All the previous sharks have been returned to the wild.

Aquarium officials say they caught this shark Aug. 18 in the waters near Marina del Rey. Before its transfer, the shark was kept in a holding pen in Malibu, where it was observed swimming comfortably and eating.

Great white sharks are known for their size, with the largest adults measuring more than 20 feet long and weighing around 5,000 pounds. They are among the primary predators of marine mammals but also prey on fish and seabirds.

The aquarium says wild shark populations are in decline worldwide. Fishing and the slow reproduction of white sharks, in addition to threats from trophy hunters and others, have taken a toll.

The creatures are protected in U.S. coastal waters, as well as in South Africa, Mexico, Australia and other countries.

Julie Packard, the aquarium's executive director, said the exhibit of a female white shark in 2004 was extremely successful.

She said more than 1 million people viewed the shark while it was in captivity. Surveys taken after their experience showed that people took away a deeper understanding of the dangers facing white sharks and the ocean in general.

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Online:

Live webcam of shark tank, http://bit.ly/qJOtGR

Comments

[tshaw444]

04:29 PM on 09/04/2011

Whites kept in captivity for any significant amount of time ALWAYS DIE!!! These "scientists" know better than that, and should be thrown into the "open ocean habitat" with their new "prize".

[O K Ali]

02:21 AM on 09/05/2011

Every Great White they have caught has survived in captivity and later released back into the wild. They have only died when caught by fishermen in the open sea.

[freddiefingers]

12:14 AM on 09/02/2011

I absolutely, positively will not spend one red penny at any zoo, aquarium, or circus. These are still wildi animals, and should be free, not in a cage, tank or " habitat ". Humans, the most ( arguably ) intelligent life on the planet, can often be the most barbaric. I hope the shark survives it's captivity. Great Whites often don't.

[kareemachan]

10:40 AM on 09/03/2011

Here we go again with the righteous indignation. Zoos have changed, you know. Now they are helping preserve various species from extinction as well as educating the public. And "free" animals are in danger all over this planet because of habitat loss, human greed, and such. It doesn't help to have a free animal if there aren't enough other of its species around to ensure its survival or someone is going to take a potshot at it for its gall bladder or horn or tusks or....

And diss aquariums all you like, but the Monterey Aquarium has done an amazing job of helping people understand more about aquatic life - and is a major research facility as well. Look at its website and see how they are trying to protect various fish species from overfishing. And you probably don't have to worry about the shark, as they've done this before - and release them before they get too big.

[freddiefingers]

08:17 PM on 09/03/2011

I just expressed my personal opinion, didn't mean to set YOU off on a rant. ( talk about righteous indignation ) Relax, take a Prozac, maybe go for a stroll around the zoo....

[rsmit925]

01:11 PM on 09/04/2011

Six "other times"?? How many times will it take??? If they can't figure out what they need to know the first time arround then just forget it. Smells like exploitation to me....

[skiceegee]

05:51 PM on 09/01/2011

Yes.....we will conserve nature by keeping it in an aquarium? What kind of sense does this make? Most wildlife will survive only half as long in captivity.

[Monk2001]

05:55 PM on 09/01/2011

A creature like this maybe. As we've never tried to take care of it before. Zoo's, Aquariums, Sea Worlds etc. help conservation out tremendously. The people who work there love the animals.

You think a seal in the wild will live 2x's as long as one in captivity, for instance? Manatee's? Buluga Whales? Having 1 or 2 or 3 GW's in captivity is only going to help scientists learn/know more about them. Plus they'll be well cared for.

[Steve1976]

08:23 PM on 09/01/2011

Not a single Great White Shark has ever survived captivity. They'll watch this fish very closely and when it begins to struggle it will be released.

[kareemachan]

10:43 AM on 09/03/2011

Wrong. Survival rates in the wild are lower in the wild due to predation, lack of medical care if hurt or sick, parasites, etc. I wish people would stop looking at this issue through rose-colored glasses.