Exciting changes are happening to our aquariums as we move our four nurse sharks from the Outer Reef habitat in the Tropical Reef Aquarium to their new home, the Baja Bay habitat in the Pacific Seas Aquarium. This move is part of our ongoing efforts to provide the best care for our animals while also creating an engaging and educational experience for our guests.
Moving sharks is a major undertaking because of their unique physiology, size, and sensitivity to environmental changes. Our 250-pound nurse sharks require specialized carriers and pools, forklifts, and custom transport equipment. During transport, the nurse sharks need constant monitoring to ensure stable conditions. Moving sharks requires months of planning involving our veterinarians, facilities team, and aquarists.
Our nurse sharks, known for their bottom-dwelling habits, have been a long-standing part of the Outer Reef habitat. As we’ve added new species, some of our new animals have had a harder time adjusting to training, feeding, and daily routines with the nurse sharks. Also, new research has confirmed that the true Pacific nurse shark is found in the Gulf of California, right where our Baja Bay habitat is themed. By relocating them, we’re not only improving their environment to a larger habitat but also enhancing our conservation message.
The Baja Bay habitat will offer a great new space for these sharks to thrive. Adding four large nurse sharks to the 280,000-gallon warm-water habitat, which is home to green sea turtles and spotted eagle rays, plus dozens of other tropical fish species that you’d find in the Gulf of California, will bring new movement and energy to the habitat.
Two nurse sharks have moved to Baja Bay already. We can’t wait to see our nurse sharks settle into their new home!
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