Endangered Zebra Sharks Hatch In Indonesia Rewilding Project June 6, 2024

Baby zebra sharks swim in their aquarium nursery at the Nausicaa National Maritime Center in Boulogne-sur-Mer, northern France, on January 26, 2021. (AFP/Denis Charlet)

By AFP - Agence France Presse

Endangered Zebra Sharks Hatch In Indonesia Rewilding Project

Just a few dozen centimeters long, newborn zebra sharks Lingka and Spotty Dotty carry the weight of their species on their tiny dorsal fins.

The two females born in Indonesia are part of a unique program that hopes to rebuild the population of the endangered species in the Raja Ampat region.

The striking black-and-cream-striped pair were transported as eggs from a breeding program at Sydney's SEA LIFE Aquarium and conservationists hope they will eventually join four other shark pups that have so far been released into the wild by StAR, an international project to reintroduce zebra sharks.

Research suggests that only 20 zebra sharks remain in Raja Ampat, an area known for its abundant marine life and spectacular coral reefs.

“Although there are several large-scale marine protected areas (MPAs) in the region and many reef shark species have recovered over the 20 years of MPA implementation, zebra sharks have not,” said Laura Simmons, regional curator for SEA LIFE aquariums in Australia and New Zealand.

“There was a need to increase the number of genetically suitable animals in Raja Ampat, and the public aquariums had them,” she told AFP.

The StAR project hopes to create a population of 500 zebra sharks in the region in a decade, the minimum size needed for a healthy and genetically diverse population.

When they are big enough, the pups will be tagged and released into sea pens before heading out into the wild.

Simmons said the project is the only one of its kind for elasmobranchs - the class that includes sharks and rays - and required years of data and research.

The work must also adhere to strict international guidelines on the reintroduction of species.

The newborn pair represents a small step towards the species' recovery, but their successful release could offer hope for other similarly endangered creatures, Simmons said.

“It paves the way for other species in need of recovery and support.”

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