NMA welcomes two new arrivals

The National Marine Aquarium (NMA) is now the only aquarium in the UK with sandbar sharks.

Sandbar sharks are a very powerful looking animal, with larger fins relative to their body size, compared to other shark species. Despite this, they are calm, non-aggressive, and very easy to dive with.

The sandbar sharks have joined the NMA from SEA LIFE Brighton. They will stay as permanent residents at the NMA in the Atlantic Ocean exhibit.

The Atlantic Ocean exhibit is the deepest in the UK and the largest single tank containing 2.5 million litres of water. The tank is home to some of the NMA’s most iconic residents, including a 2m lemon shark, 2.5m sand tiger sharks, nurse sharks, and the only ocellated eagle rays in the UK. The exhibit allows the public to walk underneath the tank, 10.8m down and view the incredible marine species from a unique view.

James Wright, Curator at the National Marine Aquarium, said: “It’s fantastic that we have been able to welcome these two new sandbar sharks to the Aquarium – the only place to see them in the UK. We now have two females and a male shark in the exhibit. All of the sharks are mature, we are hoping that they may breed naturally in the future.

“The new sharks have been through a period of settling in, taking residence in the acclimation tank while they got used to their new surroundings, and to ensure that the shark’s re-location to the NMA was as smooth as possible.”

Watch a video of their arrival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85zlL5082E8