Photosales
niJobfinder
niCarfinder
Home Delivery
Propertynews
Shark performs Caesarean section
Thursday, 12 November 2009
Visitors to a New Zealand oceanarium watched in astonishment when one shark tore a chunk out of another's stomach. But they were even more astonished when four baby sharks tumbled out of the gaping wound.
Staff at Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World in Auckland had no idea the female shark was pregnant until visitors came running to tell them about the impromptu Caesarean section.
Initially sceptical, they found the mother with a large cut and four little sharks swimming around.
The oceanarium's aquarist Fiona Davies said it was not uncommon for sharks to chomp on each other, even in the wild.
But she had never heard of an incident like this. “It (the midwife shark) had to bite a certain part to let them (the babies) out, and do it without killing them or her (the mother),” she explained.
Ms Davies said the unusual delivery had probably saved the baby sharks' lives. If the mother had given birth naturally, most likely at night, the babies would have been eaten by adult sharks and stingrays before staff could rescue them.
Staff at the aquarium removed the babies from the tank - before they could be eaten. The mother was also removed with another four babies inside her. All eight babies survived.
- Text Size
Wow
Posted by chris Mooney | 13.11.09, 17:54 GMT
What people seem to forget is that filial cannibalism is very common in fish. This is were the adult eats the young of its own species.
Another form of cannibalism apparent in sharks is intrauterine cannibalism. When multiple embryos are created during impregnation the stronger, more developed embryos consume the lesser devoloped embryos for nutrients. For example, a grey nurse shark may start pregnancy with over 40 embryos in two uteruses but only give birth to 2 sharks i year later.
Posted by Ulysses32 | 13.11.09, 15:17 GMT
We are blind to what animals understand and are aware of. White people used to think that natives were sub human
Posted by Frank | 13.11.09, 06:07 GMT
I wonder was the midwife shark trying to help the heavily pregnant shark? It didn't eat the baby sharks, after all.
Posted by Sharon Owens | 12.11.09, 19:31 GMT
shark performs 'sea' section.......
Posted by seymour finn | 12.11.09, 15:54 GMT
health service not good there too then!!
Posted by kate | 12.11.09, 12:25 GMT
Not even a mention of the type of shark.
Either way, I would presume the "midwife" facied some shark goujons rather than steak for a change. It just had to get the packaging off first.
Posted by Ulysses32 | 12.11.09, 12:22 GMT