Archie, just a few moments after his birth (L) and a more recent photo (R). Photos: Sea Life Sydney//Screenshot
Four months ago, something pretty amazing happened to visitors of the SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium. They were there to watch the birth of a grey nurse shark. While witnessing life’s first stages in our environment is incredible in any situation, it’s particularly so because grey nurse sharks are endangered.
The shark pup, which has been named Archie, was the first in the aquarium’s history. “This is a monumental milestone – not just for SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, but for marine conservation efforts across Australia,” said Ben Buchanan, Head of Curatorial at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, in a statement. “To witness the birth of an endangered grey nurse shark is incredibly rare, and being able to capture it on video makes it even more special.”
Since his birth on November 15, 2024, Archie has grown to a little over 2-feet long. As of this writing, he’s living in one of the aquarium’s specialized nursery pools. It’s expected that he will grow about 12 inches a year until he reaches about 10 feet.
It’s likely that Archie’s conception was also caught on film, but it’s not known exactly which male is Archie’s father, but it’s one of three individuals.
“For now, the genetics of Archie’s father have not been confirmed, as there are three male sharks, Murdoch, Trio and Napoleon in the oceanarium,” the aquarium explained. “When Archie is older and stronger, his DNA will be tested and confirmed.”
Grey nurse sharks are independent from the time they hit the water, and Archie immediately began swimming beside the adults the moment he was born. Witnessing the birth of a grey nurse shark is rare not only because we aren’t able to watch them all the time in the wild, but because grey nurse sharks simply don’t give birth all that often. They have the lowest reproductive rate of any shark species, only birthing pups once every two or so years. Right now, visitors to the seaquarium aren’t privy to Archie’s toddler stages, but when he’s a little bigger they will be.
“While we would love to introduce Archie to our guests,” the Aquarium wrote, “his health and development remain our top priority. He will continue to be cared for in our behind-the-scenes nursery until he reaches approximately 1.5 meters (5 feet) in length, at which point he will be better suited to join the five adult grey nurse sharks in Shark Valley.”
