The Central Coast Aquarium has new swell shark pups to take care of.
The aquarium released the news on Facebook on Jan. 4.
New year, new babies! 🦈🦈🦈 We are up to three swell shark pups. Come by the aquarium Tuesday – Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm to visit them!
Posted by Central Coast Aquarium on Friday, January 4, 2019
As of now, the aquarium has three swell sharks.
What makes the birth special is that it was the first time adult swell sharks at the Central Coast Aquarium in Avila Beach successfully laid eggs.
“It’s just really exciting thing to see baby sharks born it’s a really good day for us to be able to educate the public it provides a good talking point for them,” Central Coast Aquarium educator Megan Drap said.
Check this out! These are called mermaid purses. Inside are the eggs of baby swell sharks. It’s the first time the @CentralCoastAq has had a successful laying of swell shark egg cases! Super cool! pic.twitter.com/rF5GlQLHzb
— Alexa Bertola (@Alexa_Bertola) July 23, 2018
The mother shark has been laying two eggs a month since December 2017.
The sharks’ egg cases are called “mermaid purses.”
The aquarium has at least 14 egg cases. Shark pups usually grow inside the cases for nine to 12 months before hatching.
Aquarium officials said they are looking into adjusting their permit so they can release some of the shark pups into the wild.
Shark pups grow inside ‘mermaids’ purses’ at Central Coast Aquarium
The Central Coast Aquarium is opened Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m to 4 p.m.
