Animal Move

It’s not every day a two-metre-wide, 280kg smooth stingray embarks on a 1700km road trip up the east coast, but for Casper, and his shark friend Bob, they made the epic journey in February and are now happily settled into their new home – SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast.

Oliver Underwood – Curator, SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast, says, "Moving animals is a huge job. It takes months of logistical planning and involves professionals from across the country. Caspar and Bob travelled onboard a specially-fitted truck, accompanied by a team of aquarists, and dedicated veterinary teams – where they were continually and carefully monitored throughout their journey to Mooloolaba.

“When it came to receiving and unloading the special cargo, we even called on the assistance of some heavy machinery, including forklifts and cranes. Casper’s size meant we even needed to remove a side wall to allow access to the oceanarium.

“I am delighted that both Casper, Bob and hundreds of other beautiful fish have all settled in well to their new home here on the Sunshine Coast,’’ continued Oliver.

Smooth rays like Casper are the largest of all Australian stingrays. Despite their size, they have a relatively short tail, earning them the species name: brevicaudata, which comes from the Latin brevis, meaning short, and cauda meaning tail.

Sister aquarium, SEA LIFE Melbourne’s main oceanarium is currently undergoing renovations which meant many of the larger sharks and rays, along with hundreds of fish, needed to be temporarily rehomed.
Sandbar whaler sharks like Bob are listed as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They are targeted in some fisheries for their meat, oil, skin and fins. The 15-year-old measures 1.8 metres and weighs 30 kg.

Around the world, there are more than 1000 species of sharks and rays, with an estimated one new species discovered yearly. SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast currently cares for eight species of shark and ray, including the Endangered grey nurse shark.