Although all sea creatures share a common habitat, they have very different characteristics due to their creation. For example, even a small puddle is enough for some to continue their lives, but for white sharks, the size of the area they live in is of vital importance.
So what makes white sharks distinctive from other creatures and why do we never see these creatures in aquariums?
White sharks are creatures equipped with unique features and adaptations.
This shark species, which holds the top spot in terms of predation, is at the top of the food chain and does not have many natural predators. They are also expert hunters and follow the migration routes of their prey with great care.
Known to travel an average of 9.66 km per year, white sharks have an excellent sense of smell. They use this ability to detect prey from approximately 3 km away, and they also have an electrosensing system that allows them to detect electromagnetic fields produced by other animals.
However, the area surrounding them, from the glass walls that make up the aquarium to the various electromagnetic equipment, causes their sensory perceptions to be confused and they have great difficulty in catching their prey.
This species of shark usually spends most of its life wandering alone.
Although these creatures mostly like solitude, they socialize and mate with different sharks during the breeding season. However, the pleasure they get from this union covers a very short period of time. For this reason, if they are placed in an aquarium, their proximity to other sharks and animals will make them nervous and it will be inevitable for them to get stressed.
In addition, their constant presence in aquariums and similar small enclosed spaces increases their susceptibility to various diseases, and their skin and fins tend to become sensitive.
As we can guess, their very large size makes them inherently dangerous creatures. Unexpected sudden movements may cause harm to both themselves and the staff involved in the aquarium with limited space.
The diet of these giant sharks is also a major obstacle to their survival in the aquarium.
Because live prey in the wild is their most preferred food, and they have to be desperate enough to starve to eat anything else. This being the case, this situation becomes quite difficult and burdensome in the aquarium environment.
In addition, they have to constantly swim forward to obtain oxygen and allow water to pass over their gills. Considering that the average length of white sharks is 6 meters, providing them with the space they need would be quite a task.
Of course, there are those who try to take these creatures into captivity.
The first known attempt was made by an aquarium called Marineland of the Pacific in California in the mid-1950s, but this white shark, whose freedom was restricted, survived for less than a day.
SeaWorld also tried to house white sharks regularly in various aquariums in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, but this effort was also unsuccessful. While a few of the creatures died, most were released back into the wild within a few weeks.
An aquarium known only as Monterey Bay was able to keep these sharks in the aquarium for more than 16 days in 2004. Again, two years ago, an aquarium in Japan caused the death of a shark in captivity within three days.
It is possible to encounter other species of sharks in these aquariums, but the adaptation of white sharks is not suitable for them to live in the aquarium.
If we want them to not become extinct and to live a healthier and safer life, it is best not to keep them from the habitat where they belong. Otherwise, white sharks may be harmed physiologically and psychologically, and this captivity may even result in death.
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