Grey nurse birth caught on film | Gold Coast News | Local News in Gold Coast

MOOLOOLABA’S UnderWater World is the focus of marine science scrutiny as staff celebrate the rare birth of a new babe.

He is one metre long, has fins and he is only the fourth of his kind to be born at the aquamarine centre.

Researchers around the world are celebrating the birth because he is a grey nurse shark, one of only five ever born in captivity, a species that may number a mere 500 in the wild.

“This is the third event, but with one producing two pups, this is the fourth to be born here,” UnderWater World curator of fishes Clint Chapman said.

“It’s a bit of good news to give to the public – it’s nice to have something positive happen.”

Mr Chapman said offers had been pouring in from researchers keen to help in building the knowledge bank of husbandry for these critically endangered fish.

The birth was unexpected and happened in the middle of a daily tour.

“Visitors were able to witness and gain incredible footage of this very rare event,” head curator Rob Mort said.

Shark gives birth at UnderWater World on the Sunshine Coast



“It shows a small tail clearly visible from the mother’s cloaca and a brave and frantic dash by Underwater World diver Ryan Keck to assist in the delivery and protect the pup from other adult sharks circling and eager for fresh prey.”

Mr Chapman said young sharks were on their own after birth “from the word go”.

“They have to fend for themselves and keep moving,” he said.

“The mother abandons them and other sharks predate on the pup.”

The young shark has been moved to the coral oceanarium, with no large predators in the tank for the time being.

Scientists from as far afield as South Africa and the US have never been able to achieve the birth successes of UnderWater World and are keen to discover why this is so.

Mr Chapman said he was not completely sure of the answer.

“It is difficult to say but it’s likely because their environment is an open‑water system with the same environmental functionalism as outside,” he said.

“It tends to have benefits as it matches breeding months at the same time as in the wild – it is basically mimicking what’s in the wild.

“The grey nurse shark is such an incredible animal. It has two uteruses and the unborn foetuses are known to cannibalise their siblings in the womb before birth.”