Recent News
Flatts fuel spillage poses negligible riskTuesday, October 31, 2017
A fuel spill at the Rubis gas station in Flatts Village poses a negligible risk to the environment, according to experts.
‘Citizen Scientists’ Health Check Bermuda Reefs
Friday, October 27, 2017
For the fifth consecutive year, the Bermuda Zoological Society event REEF Watch trained teams of corporate professionals, teenagers and families to conduct coral reef surveys, fish counts and assessments of our reef ecosystem.
Global Indemnity Re Donates To Local Charities
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art has praised Global Indemnity Re for their annual charitable giving programme after the arts and education organization was one of four local charities awarded.
Project reveals turtles are on the move
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Almost 200 turtles were plucked from the island’s waters this August as the Bermuda Turtle Project continued its conservation work.
Dr. Wingate On “Man’s Impact On Bermuda”
Saturday, October 21, 2017
The Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute [BUEI] and Bermuda Zoological Society [BZS] are getting set to present “Man’s Impact on Bermuda” with Dr. David Wingate on Thursday, October 26, beginning at 7.00pm.
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All the latest updates and news from the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo, one of Bermuda's leading visitor attractions!
3/19/2012 3:57:00 PM
Department of Conservation Services Press Release
MONDAY, MARCH 19: The Department of Conservation Service today announced that it has released its seven-year-old male Galapagos shark back into the wild for health reasons.
The Galapagos Shark is a species of Requiem Shark, which live in reefs like Bermuda’s, feeding mainly on bottom-dwelling fish and squid.
Due to their slow reproductive rate and heavy fishing pressure their global population is in decline and as such it is recognized as a threatened species.
For the last six years the 6.5-foot-long Galapagos Shark named “Osbourne” has been a star attraction in the Northrock Tank at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ), along with a Black Grouper.
About a year ago Osbourne started developing a rubbed rostrum (nose) in the tank due to competition from the grouper.
Aquarium staff tried to reduce the aggression between the two through various training methods but were unsuccessful and as such plans were made to return the shark to the wild this summer.
However, two weeks ago the hostility between the grouper and shark escalated and the shark’s condition deteriorated.
As a result Principal Curator Dr Ian Walker made the decision to move up the release of the shark for his well being.
Dr Walker said: “The decision to relocate the shark was not made lightly as sharks need to constantly have water flowing over their gills and can go into shock from stress relatively easily.”
With assistance from Dr Neil Burnie and Choy Aming from the Bermuda Shark Project, Aquarium staff and volunteers moved the shark onto a fast boat using a specially made sling and placed it in a shark transport box.
Once on the boat the shark was monitored carefully and had water pumped over it gills while it rested upside down in a relaxed state known as tonic immobility.
After arriving seven miles off north shore at Northrock, the shark was released over the side of the boat and aquarist Steve Davis and Dr Burnie monitored its progress from the water as it swam away.
Dr Walker said: “The whole process went very smoothly. Osbourne was released with a satellite telemetry tag, donated by the Atlantic Conservation Partnership, which will provide us with very useful information on his swimming patterns and to some extent his wellbeing.
“We wish him well.”