As part of its ongoing shark conservation efforts, the Two Oceans Aquarium successfully released Gen, a female ragged-tooth shark, in Struisbaai on Tuesday 18 March.
At every stage of her journey, Gen was accompanied by aquarium curatorial staff members to ensure a calm and safe return to her wild home.
At the aquarium, Gen was carefully placed in a secure tank on a large truck for transport by road to Struisbaai. “All precautions were taken through careful medical monitoring along the way. On arrival, final observations and vital signs were taken. Then she was lifted from the holding tank and carried by the team to the water’s edge,” said Dr Ilse Jenkinson, veterinarian at the Two Oceans Aquarium.
The day of Gen’s release was overcast, with a few curious onlookers on-site and ready to see her off back into the open ocean. Aquarium staff were available to answer any questions, stating that “the decision to release Gen in Struisbaai follows a regular practice by the Two Oceans Aquarium at this time of year”.
Explained Heather Wares, Two Oceans Aquarium communications manager: “The aquarium tends to release ragged-tooth sharks in this area as there is an existing population of which some migrate along the Agulhas ridge off the coast of Struisbaai towards the warmer waters of Kwa-Zulu Natal.”
The curatorial team walked Gen into the surf on a specially designed stretcher, where she immediately showed signs of readiness to return to her wild home. Taking their cue from Gen as she pushed against the constraints of the stretcher, the team released her, with two divers keeping a watchful eye to monitor her initial open ocean behaviour.
Jenkinson declared the release a success, as Gen showed good vitals and blood parameters during her time in quarantine. On the day of release the movement and transport went smoothly, and she had a good and strong response before being released back into the ocean.
Curator Kevin Spiby reflected: “Today, we had the privilege of returning one of our largest ragged-tooth sharks to the big blue. Gen spent eight years with us. During her time at the aquarium, she was a true ambassador for her species and educated thousands of visitors, highlighting the importance of sharks in the marine environment.”
The aquarium issued a big “thank you” to the Struisbaai community for their enthusiasm and kindness in welcoming Gen home.
Gen’s journey
Gen first arrived at the Two Oceans Aquarium on 30 June 2017, after being collected by a fisher off the coast of East London. She weighed 62 kg and measured 238 cm in length.
In line with tradition, the fisher was given the honour of naming the shark, and he chose his wife’s name. Gen was housed in the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit at the aquariumfor eight years.
“In her time at the Two Oceans Aquarium, while playing an important role as an awareness-raising ambassador for changing perceptions of sharks, Gen grew into a large adult weighing 209 kg and measuring 286 cm in length. She is now sexually mature, so we would like her to have the opportunity to reproduce and contribute to the wild population,” Jenkinson said.
Shark tagging
Like other sharks released by the aquarium, Gen was fitted with a tag so that her movements can be tracked as she moves along the coast. “This helps us gain scientific information about the sharks and also helps raise awareness about their plight in an ocean under threat by human impact,” said Spiby.
Gen was tagged with a spaghetti tag, which displays a tag number and address of the organisation that fitted the tag.
Fishers who catch a tagged shark are encouraged to note the tag number, location, and date on which they caught the shark, and record its length if possible. This information should then be sent to the address on the tag. When the organisation receives the information, they can see how far the shark has travelled and how much it has grown since it was tagged and released.
Shark ambassadors
The ragged-tooth sharks housed in the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit are considered ambassadors for their species. Like many other marine species in the aquarium’s care, they are only kept at the aquarium for a short time before being returned to the wild. A passionate Jenkinson concluded: “Catch-and-release is a central component of the ragged-tooth shark conservation programme at the Two Oceans Aquarium. The reason for including them in our exhibits is to be an ambassador species for sharks, educating our visitors on the wonder of what is under the ocean. The message these sharks deliver is not to fear them but to be in awe and wonder of these complex animals.”
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