Shark Caesarean Section

The New Zealand Herald is reporting on a strange occurence at Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World.  Eloise Gibson writes that a shark was bit open at the stomach by another shark, which freed her young that were due to be born that night.  Since the staff was unaware of the pregnancy, they were shocked and speculated that the sharks feared predator attacks if she birthed during the night; the likes of stingrays  could be lethal.

The young sharks have been taken to a “nursery” tank with some baby eagle rays, where visitors can see them before they are released into the wild.

Link (Photo: Richard Robinson)

Update (11/11/2009): The mother and her eight babies are all doing fine.  Link to Daily Mail story with video.