New Baby Zebra Shark Pup!

Thursday 14th July 2022

Shark Awareness Day, Zebra Shark, Baby, Sharks, Transformation, Sea Creature
SLSA Baby Steg, Zebra Shark Pup Close Up

A leopard can't change its spots, but the Zebra shark can!

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium is thrilled to announce the hatching of a Zebra Shark pup, just in
time to celebrate Shark Awareness Day. Zebra sharks, aka leopard sharks, go through an
amazing pattern and colour transformation as they mature.

Zebra sharks are oviparous, laying large (17cm in length) dark coloured egg cases that have tufts
of silky fibers which act as sticky anchors to secure them their underwater habitats.

Newly hatched Zebra shark pups have distinct black and white stripes which begin to fade and
transition to a spotted pattern during the first couple of months of development – which is
exactly why they can be referred to as both zebra and leopard sharks!

The species is found in coastal waters throughout the tropical Indo-West Pacific. In Australia,
they are found primarily in the tropical waters across our west, north and east coasts.

The pup has been nicknamed 'Baby Steg' after the species’ scientific name (Stegostoma
tigrinum) and she is a girl!

"Baby Steg is thriving and hitting all the expected milestones. We're offering the pup up to five
feeds a day and are looking to graduate it to a larger habitat soon, where she will continue to
grow big and strong until she is ready to go onto display with the other amazing tropical reef
species.”

We all know the old saying that ‘a leopard can’t change its spots’, but the zebra shark is a natural
beauty at defying this old rule of thumb!
"We have been taking photos of the pup daily to document its incredible transformation and fast
growth. From hatching with the stripe pattern, designed to mimic banded sea snakes, she has
started to develop the species’ well known and striking spots!" said Taylah Stark, Aquarist - SEA
LIFE Sydney Aquarium.

Our adult zebra sharks, Baby Steg’s parents, can be seen on display at the aquarium within the
Day and Night on the Reef zone which is home to a huge variety of fish including other
incredible species of sharks and rays.

Although Zebra sharks can be seen swimming slowly and gracefully through our reefs, they are
primarily bottom dwelling and feed on crustaceans and mollusks. Baby Steg’s favorite food is
prawns!

Adults can grow to be well over 3 meters long and are not only beautiful because of their
leopard-like spots but also a long and flowing tail (caudal fin).

There are over 400 species of shark recorded around the world. Most of these species pose little
to no risk to people, however, they have been widely misinterpreted by people and are often
feared. Shark Awareness Day aims to change this misunderstanding and draw awareness to the
plight of sharks as keystone species that play a vital role in maintaining the delicate balance of
marine ecosystems.

Every year, unsustainable and unregulated fishing practices see millions of sharks killed around
the world, and the future of many shark species is now in peril.

Guests can get up close and get inspired by 13 species of shark at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
whilst learning about them and what we can all do to help conserve and protect them.