Artificial Womb For Sharks
By Matt J. Weiss, September 15, 2008 @ 02:00 AM (EST)
Wobbegong sharks are being reared in an artificial womb in a ground breaking experiment. Woobegongs give birth to live young. They hatch their eggs inside of them and release independent baby sharks. The baby unborn wobbegongs have survived the first week and will need another two to three weeks before being released.
The reason for this project has little to do with wobbegongs, but is actually a conservation project for the reproductively similar grey nurse sharks. Grey nurse sharks are critically endangered and this is certainly a unique new conservation effort. 400,000 thousand dollars have been put into the project.
Grey nurse sharks give birth to pups but usually only two survive because of competition among the young. This is prohibiting the population in Australia's east coast, which is at about 500, from recovering.
I will follow the progress of the innovative and ground breaking project as it progresses!
The reason for this project has little to do with wobbegongs, but is actually a conservation project for the reproductively similar grey nurse sharks. Grey nurse sharks are critically endangered and this is certainly a unique new conservation effort. 400,000 thousand dollars have been put into the project.
Grey nurse sharks give birth to pups but usually only two survive because of competition among the young. This is prohibiting the population in Australia's east coast, which is at about 500, from recovering.
I will follow the progress of the innovative and ground breaking project as it progresses!
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