OdySea Aquarium welcomed three healthy, thriving whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus) pups in August. One male and two female pups were born overnight on August 17 in a private pool at OdySea Aquarium’s offsite facility after an approximately 13-month gestation period.
To ensure the safety of the baby sharks, OdySea Aquarium aquarists transferred the pups to a separate pool of their own soon after their arrival, away from mom, who is also doing well since giving birth. Whitetip reef sharks are born ready for independent survival, needing no care from their mother.
Found in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, Central Pacific, Eastern Pacific and off Central America, these sharks earn their name from the distinct white tips on their dorsal and upper tail fins. Long and slender, whitetips are usually found in shallow areas close to shore or resting in the crevices and caves of coral reef habitats.
OdySea Aquarium’s momma shark is slated to be back on exhibit very soon for visitors to enjoy, while the pups will remain behind-the-scenes until they have achieved substantial growth and maturity. However, “pup-dates” on the three baby sharks will be posted often to OdySea Aquarium’s Facebook page and Instagram account, keeping fans updated and connected to these precious new additions.
