This article was written by By Laura du Toit and published in the Two Oceans blog.
The Two Oceans Aquarium team successfully released ragged-tooth shark Gen in Struisbaai, last week.
This was a special moment for the team that cared for Gen during her time at the Aquarium, as well as another exciting step, towards the future conservation of ragged-tooth sharks.
The preparation leading up to Gen’s release was extensive.
She was removed from the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit and temporarily placed in separate housing. The purpose of this was for our veterinarian, Dr Ilse Jenkinson, to be able to closely monitor Gen’s health for a period before the release. This included regular health checks and monitoring of blood and vital signs.
The morning of the release, Gen was carefully moved into a secure chamber on a large truck for transport by road to Struisbaai. At every stage of her journey, she was accompanied by our dedicated Curatorial staff members to ensure a calm and safe return to her wild home. The journey also had multiple stops for Dr Ilse to ensure that Gen was doing well.
The Aquarium frequently releases ragged-tooth sharks in Struisbaai. This is because animals migrate along the Agulhas ridge off the coast of Struisbaai towards the warmer waters of Kwa-Zulu Natal.
The Aquarium’s Curatorial team walked Gen into the surf on a specially designed stretcher, where she immediately showed signs of readiness to return to her wild home. Taking their cue from Gen as she pushed against the constraints of the stretcher, the team released her, with two divers keeping a watchful eye to monitor her initial open ocean behaviour.
Dr Jenkinson declared the release a success, saying that Gen had a good and strong response before being released. She swam off quickly into the ocean with the Aquarium team watching proudly.
A big thank you to the Struisbaai community for their enthusiasm and kindness in welcoming Gen home.
Picture: Justin Blake