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August 10, 2009 ADVENTURE AQUARIUM DEBUTS NEW TIGER SHARK Come See the ONLY Tiger Shark on Exhibit on the East Coast! Adventure Aquarium on the Camden Waterfront recently announced its newest animal arrival - the rare and magnificent Tiger Shark. The Tiger Shark was first unveiled to the public during a VIP recetpion that Adventure Aquarium and Discovery Channel co-hosted in celebration of Shark Week. The Tiger Shark is now on exhibit in Adventure Aquarium's 760,000-gallon Ocean Realm Exhibit, making Adventure Aquarium the only aquarium in the Eastern U.S. - and one of only three aquariums in the U.S. - to exhibit a Tiger Shark! "Working hands-on with such a magnificent and rarely observed animal is a tremendous opportunity, as there is still so much to learn about this species," said Marc Kind, Adventure Aquarium's Director of Husbandry. "Our team is honored to join the select few aquariums in the country that have had the chance to work with a Tiger Shark, and we're excited to exhibit this extraordinary species for our guests." Adventure Aquarium's new Tiger Shark is an approximately 10-month-old juvenile male that measures about 5 ½ feet in length and weighs 70 pounds. It first arrived at Adventure Aquarium in December 2008, where it remained in a special observation area while it acclimated to its new surroundings. During that time, it gained approximately 40 pounds and grew about 2 ½ feet in length. The Tiger Shark made its debut in Adventure Aquarium's 760,000-gallon Ocean Realm Exhibit in late July, just in time for the Aquarium's annual Shark Week Live celebration, which begins on August 1st. The Tiger Shark is a formidable shark species that can grow up to over 14 feet long and weigh over 1,400 pounds. They are common in tropical and sub-tropical waters throughout the world. Tiger Sharks are named for the dark stripes and spots found mainly on juveniles, however, these lines begin to fade and almost disappear as the shark matures. "One of the coolest things about our new Tiger Shark is that it's still young enough to bear the Tiger-like markings for which it was named," said Kind. "Those distinct markings will fade and eventually disappear, but we're excited that our guests will be able to enjoy the splendor and beauty of a juvenile Tiger Shark." Tiger Sharks have a reputation as indiscriminate eaters that will swallow anything they find, which has earned them the nickname "Wastebaskets of the Sea!" Indeed, Tiger Sharks are consummate scavengers with an excellent sense of sight and smell and a nearly limitless menu of diet items. They have uniquely designed teeth that are sharp, serrated and notched, almost resembling a can opener, along with powerful jaws that allow them to crack the shells of food items like sea turtles and clams. Despite their fierce reputations, however, Tiger Sharks have extremely low repopulation rates and are therefore highly susceptible to fishing pressure. They are heavily harvested for their fins, skin and flesh, and their livers contain high levels of vitamin A, which is processed into vitamin oil. Because of this, Tiger Sharks are listed as a "Near Threatened" species. Aquarium biologists hope to learn more about this little-known species and hope to inspire the public to want to protect these incredible animals in the wild. "While being one of only three aquariums in the U.S. to exhibit a Tiger Shark places us on the cutting edge of some very important scientific work, our greatest accomplishment is having the opportunity to showcase this beautiful animal to the nearly 1 million guests who visit Adventure Aquarium annually," said Kind. "We hope to educate the public about the role these animals play in our ecosystem, to ultimately inspire the kind of behaviors that will affect positive change for our natural world." Guests can now see the rare and magnificent Tiger Shark up close and in person in Adventure Aquarium's largest underwater exhibit - Ocean Realm. And, during Shark Week Live (Aug 1 through Aug 9), wear a shark fin on your head to receive $2 off the price of admission! |
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