The Two Oceans Aquarium recently released Dané, the Ragged-Tooth Shark back into the big wide ocean after she spent time recovering at the on-shore facility.
Struisbaai, South Africa (05 April 2023) – On 29 March 2023, as part of its ongoing shark conservation efforts, the Two Oceans Aquarium successfully released Dané, a female ragged-tooth shark, off Struisbaai. She was accompanied at every stage of her journey by six Aquarium Curatorial staff members to ensure a calm and safe return to her wild home.
At the Aquarium Dané was carefully placed in a secure tank on a large truck for transport by road to Struisbaai.
“All precautions were taken through careful medical monitoring along the way. On arrival, final bloods and vitals were taken, and then she was lifted from the holding tank and carried by the team down to the water’s edge” said Dr Ilse Jenkinson, the Two Oceans Aquarium vet.
There was much excitement among the Struisbaai community who gathered to watch Dané’s return to the open ocean. Two Oceans Aquarium staff were available to answer any questions, stating that “the decision to release Dané in Struisbaai follows a regular practice by the Two Oceans Aquarium at this time of year.” Dr Nathalie Viljoen, Head of Research, further explained that “the Aquarium tends to release ragged-tooth sharks in this area as there is an existing population that migrates along the Agulhas ridge off the coast of Struisbaai towards the warmer waters of Kwa-Zulu Natal.”
The Curatorial team walked Dané into the ocean for at least 15 to 20 minutes and then stood with her for 10 minutes. Taking their cue from Dané 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, as Dané showed strong and feisty behaviour throughout the day and swam with purpose into the ocean.
Curator Paul van Nimwegen reflected that “today we had the privilege of returning one of our largest ragged-tooth sharks to the big blue. Dané spent five years with us. During her time at the Aquarium she was a true ambassador for her species, and educated thousands of visitors, highlighting the importance sharks play in the marine environment.”
A big thank you to the Struisbaai community for the enthusiasm and kindness they showed in welcoming Dané home.
Dané’s journey with the Two Oceans Aquarium
Dané was collected off Seavale near East London, with the assistance of angler Mike Dedericks, a local angler in 2017. Given the honour of naming her, a common practice for the anglers who assist in the collection of these beautiful ragged-tooth sharks, Mr Dedericks quickly decided on his wife’s name Dané.
Dané had called the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit at the Two Oceans Aquarium her home since her arrival.
“In that time, while contributing to awareness raising and changing people’s perceptions of sharks, she grew into a large adult weighing 202kg and measuring 275cm in length. Given her weight of 69.4kg and length of 251cm on her arrival to the Aquarium, her growth was significant. She is now sexually mature, so we would like her to have the opportunity to reproduce and contribute off-spring to the wild population,” said Dr Jenkinson.
Shark tagging
Like other sharks released by the Aquarium, Dané was tagged so that her movements can be tracked as she moves along the coast. “This helps us gain scientific information about the sharks and also helps raise awareness about their plight in an ocean under threat by human impact,” said Dr Viljoen.
Dané was tagged with a spaghetti tag, which displays a tag number and an address of the organisation that fitted the tag.
If a fisher catches a tagged shark, they are encouraged to make a note of the tag number, location and date on which they caught the shark, and record the length of the shark if possible. This information should then be sent to the address on the tag. When the scientists at the organisation receive the information, they are able to see how far the shark has travelled and how much it has grown since it was tagged and released.
Shark ambassadors at the Two Oceans Aquarium
The ragged-tooth sharks housed in the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit are considered ambassadors for their species. Like many other marine species in the Aquarium’s care, they are only kept at the Aquarium for a short time before being returned to the wild.
A passionate Dr Jenkinson explained, “catch and release is a central component of the ragged-tooth shark conservation programme at the Two Oceans Aquarium. The reason for including them in our exhibits is for them to be an ambassador species for sharks, educating our visitors on the wonder of what is under the ocean. The message these sharks deliver is not to be scared of them, but rather to be in awe and wonder of these complex animals.”
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