Shark pups hatched at national aquarium to be released

Three 'pups' from a shark species known as the Nursehound, or Gattarell tar-Rukkal in Maltese, are to be released into the wild on 1 February, the Malta National Aquarium has announced.

The release will take place in an area where the 'pups' will have the best chance of survival, in an area suited to their natural habitat, conservationists Sharklab said.

The pups, as the young of the shark are known, are the result of an embryological project initiated between Mike Hutchison, curator of the Malta National Aquarium and Sharklab-Malta founder Greg Nowell.

The project began as part of exciting research conducted by Sharklab-Malta for data collection at the wholesale fish market in Valletta.

During this research a wide range of shark species were seen and measured, and of the species seen some reproduce through the laying of eggs. Members of the Sharklab-Malta team check these sharks specifically to see if eggs are present. If so, the eggs are removed and placed into a controlled environment to support development through to hatching.

Support for this research has already been given through the Malta Aquaculture and Research Centre with the support of MCAST Agribuisness.

The new national aquarium helped with the hatching of the eggs, using specialised systems that provide the controlled environment necessary for maintaining the water to the appropriate temperature.

Precautions with the Malta Environment and Planning Authority were taken so that the eggs and sharks would be kept in their own exhibits and on their own re-circulatory systems. The systems included a highly technical filtration system that will kill any bacteria or parasites present within the water.

Members of the Sharklab team passed the collected eggs to the Malta National Aquarium and together with Hutchinson's aquarist team, the sharks' eggs were monitored closely and once successfully  hatched, fed a specific diet to help the 'pups' grow efficiently and in a healthy manner. '

Taking part in the release of the sharks along with Sharklab-Malta will be the Aquarium sponsors; Maltaqua Dive Centre, M&A Dive Gear Supplies, and our main sponsor Aqualung.   These companies jointly sponsoring the dive gear for the Malta National Aquarium Aquarist Staff have enabled The Aquarium to further their conservation outreach not only within the Aquarium building but also into the clear blue seas of Malta.

Malta National Aquarium and Sharklab-Malta have given members of Maltaqua the honour of being in the team to release the first of the three shark pups to say thank you for their continued support of the Aquarium and of the Sharklab-Malta project and will act as in-water representatives for Aqualung and M&A dive supplies Malta.