The Current Reality
No great white sharks are currently held in long-term captivity in any aquarium or marine park globally. Despite numerous attempts, these powerful ocean inhabitants do not survive for extended periods in artificial environments. Efforts to house them consistently result in very short lifespans, often just days or a few months. This outcome highlights the challenges in maintaining their well-being outside their natural habitat.
A History of Brief Stays
Throughout history, various aquariums and marine institutions have attempted to house great white sharks, none leading to long-term survival. Early efforts were brief; for instance, Marineland of the Pacific in California held a great white shark in 1955, but it survived for less than a day. Similarly, the Steinhart Aquarium in California saw a young great white die within hours of transfer in 1992, reportedly from shock.
SeaWorld San Diego attempted to house a great white shark in August 1981, keeping it for 16 days before releasing it due to refusal to eat. In 2016, the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan saw a great white shark survive for only three days before its health rapidly declined.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium, through its Project White Shark, mounted the most notable and sustained effort between 2004 and 2011. They successfully exhibited six juvenile white sharks for temporary stays in their Open Sea exhibit. One female shark set a record in 2004, surviving for 198 days (just over six months) before being released. Subsequent sharks housed there stayed for much shorter durations, ranging from 11 days to five months, and the program concluded in 2011.
Why Captivity Fails for Great Whites
The inability of great white sharks to thrive in captivity stems from multiple biological, physiological, and behavioral factors. Their natural existence demands vast open ocean spaces, which no man-made enclosure can replicate. These sharks traverse vast distances across oceans for hunting and migration. Confining them to tanks leads to disorientation and physical harm as they repeatedly collide with walls.
A key challenge is their unique breathing mechanism, obligate ram ventilation. Great white sharks must swim continuously with their mouths open to force water over their gills. If they stop moving, they cannot breathe and will suffocate. This constant motion is impossible to maintain within the limited confines of an aquarium.
Great white sharks also possess a specialized diet and hunting behavior. As apex predators, they primarily hunt live prey like seals and sea lions. In aquariums, they often refuse non-live food, leading to starvation. The absence of natural hunting contributes to their refusal to feed.
Great white sharks are susceptible to stress in confined environments. Stress signs include lethargy, disorientation, erratic swimming, and head-butting tank walls. Their electroreception, used to detect prey, can be overwhelmed by artificial stimuli like electrical equipment. This sensory overload contributes to their distress and inability to adapt, compromising their health and leading to premature demise.