Scientists have tracked an aquarium shark’s movements in the wild using high-definition video to better understand how they fare after release from captivity.

July 3, 2023

Australian scientists have used high-definition video to study a captive tiger shark’s movement after it was released into the wild.

Boof the shark spent two years in a West Australian aquarium and there were concerns for his safety when he returned to the Indian Ocean.

Researchers from the University of WA and Australian National University worked with the Ocean Park Aquarium in Denham to track the juvenile shark’s movements for 24 hours.

It was the first time scientists have used video to record a captive shark’s return to the ocean.

Boof made more immediate turning movements with shallower swimming than a wild shark, possibly due to disorientation, marine scientist Oliver Jewell said.

But the research team is sure he survived and resumed his life in the ocean after outgrowing the Shark Bay aquarium, where he was a popular attraction.

Stress-related deaths are not uncommon when aquarium sharks are released from captivity, yet there has been little tracking of them.

“Most studies investigating movements of sharks post-release from aquaria have used passive acoustic telemetry or archival tags to monitor such things as dive patterns and migration, however, there has been little consideration of the adjustments to swimming and movement patterns,” Dr Oliver said.

A camera tag was placed at the base of Boof’s dorsal fin during a feeding event while the shark was swimming freely and was detached later the same day.

Dr Jewell said the research had produced data that would contribute to best-practice procedures for the ethical release of captive sharks.

“Such procedures will strengthen public trust and support greater sustainability in the aquarium sector,” he said.

“Sharks are an important attraction for aquaria, and as they belong to some of the most misunderstood and threatened orders on the planet, housing them for safe periods has enormous educational value.”

Ocean Park Aquarium is a tourist attraction on the coast near the Shark Bay Marine Park.