12 Wobbegong Shark Pups Born At Georgia Aquarium
The world’s largest aquarium, the Georgia Aquarium can now boast of being home to 12 new shark babies.
The spotted wobbegong shark pups were born last week in the 6-million-gallon Ocean Voyager tank. They weighed about 2 ounces and were about 8 inches long, though they should grow to be about 10 feet long.
Though aquarium workers have moved the babies into a smaller tank where they can be monitored, aquarium visitors can see the pups on the aquarium’s “behind the scenes” tour. Eventually, the sharks will go back into the big tank where guests who sign up for the aquarium’s diving program can get a fish-eye view of the wobbegongs.
The Australia-native spotted wobbegong is known for its camouflage prowess. The brown and tan pattern on the fish’s body allows it to blend in with the ocean floor easily.
The broad, flat fish looks more like a large spotted catfish than a shark. It is considered a “near threatened” species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
It’s the third shark birth for the aquarium. Previously, the zebra sharks and the bonnethead sharks have had babies.
The aquarium is home to a variety of sharks, including whale sharks, the world’s largest fish. The Georgia Aquarium is the only aquarium outside Asia to house the massive creatures and the only in the world to let visitors dive with them. [Via]
