Great white sharks are not found in aquariums for long-term public display. While attempts have been made to house these powerful predators, they have been unsuccessful. The complex biological and behavioral needs of great white sharks make it impractical and detrimental to their well-being to keep them in artificial environments.
Challenges of Keeping Great Whites
A primary challenge is their reliance on ram ventilation for breathing, which necessitates constant forward movement to force oxygen-rich water over their gills. If they stop swimming for an extended period, they risk suffocation. While some theories suggest they can employ a less efficient buccal pumping mechanism, their natural state requires continuous motion.
These sharks are accustomed to traversing vast distances across open oceans, migrating thousands of miles annually in search of prey and suitable habitats. Even the largest public aquariums cannot provide the expansive space needed for their natural swimming patterns. Confined environments lead to stress, disorientation, and physical injuries as they frequently collide with tank walls. This constant bumping can result in abrasions, which can become infected.
Providing an appropriate diet for great white sharks in captivity presents difficulties. In the wild, they consume a diverse range of large marine mammals and fish. Replicating this specialized diet in terms of quantity and nutritional adequacy is challenging and expensive. Captive great whites have often refused to eat, leading to weakness and premature death. The immense waste produced by such large carnivores also necessitates intensive water management to prevent toxin buildup.
Confinement also takes a severe psychological toll on these intelligent animals. Stress can manifest as repetitive swimming patterns, aggression, and self-destructive behaviors. This psychological distress, combined with physical injuries and inadequate environmental conditions, often leads to a weakened immune system and capture myopathy. These combined factors contribute to their low survival rates in aquariums.
History of Aquarium Attempts
Despite the challenges, several aquariums have attempted to house great white sharks over the decades, with limited success. The Monterey Bay Aquarium in California has had the most notable, short-lived, experiences. Between 2004 and 2011, this institution displayed six juvenile great white sharks, with the longest stay lasting 198 days. These young sharks were around 4 feet long upon acquisition.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s protocol involved monitoring the sharks in an ocean pen before transferring them to the aquarium’s million-gallon “Open Sea” exhibit. However, even in this large tank, problems arose. Some sharks exhibited problems navigating the enclosure, bumping into walls, and one individual was released because it began preying on other tank mates. The aquarium ultimately ended its great white shark program in 2011 due to welfare concerns and the demonstration that these animals did not thrive in captivity.
Other institutions have also made attempts, though often with less success. For example, a Japanese aquarium briefly housed an 11.5-foot male adult great white in 2016, but the shark died three days after its arrival. SeaWorld also had a great white shark for 10 days in 1994, which refused food and showed signs of stress, leading to its release. An earlier attempt at SeaWorld in 1981 resulted in a great white shark dying after 16 days. These outcomes underscore the practical and ethical impossibility of maintaining great white sharks in captivity long-term, highlighting their profound unsuitability for artificial environments.
Alternative Large Shark Species
While great white sharks are not suitable for aquarium life, many other shark species are successfully housed in public aquariums worldwide, offering visitors an educational viewing experience. These species are better adapted to confined environments and exhibit biological and behavioral traits that allow them to thrive.
Sand tiger sharks (Carcharias taurus) are among the most commonly kept sharks in public aquariums. Despite their fearsome appearance with protruding teeth, they are docile and tolerate captivity well. Unlike great whites, sand tiger sharks possess an ability to gulp air and store it in their stomachs, allowing them to maintain neutral buoyancy and hover motionless in the water. This adaptation reduces their reliance on constant swimming for respiration and makes them less prone to stress in tanks.
Other large shark species frequently found in aquariums include:
- Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) are known for their adaptability, including tolerance for both saltwater and freshwater environments.
- Nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) are bottom-dwelling (benthic) species that primarily use buccal pumping to breathe, allowing them to remain stationary without suffocating.
- Blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) are also commonly displayed and adapt to large tank environments.
- Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) and hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna species) are rarer in aquariums due to their significant space requirements, specialized diets, and sensitivity to confinement.
These alternative species allow aquariums to educate the public about shark biology and conservation without compromising the welfare of animals unsuited for captivity.