Media release

From: SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

Sydney, Friday 20 September 2024 - It's that time of year again when love is in the air... or should we say, in the water! SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, home to Australia's largest population of grey nurse sharks (Carcharias taurus), is witnessing a spectacle of shark romance that's making waves.

These toothy lovers have been spotted giving each other 'love bites' - a unique courtship behaviour sure to make anyone's heart race!

"It's like an underwater tango," says Patrick Nelson, Aquarist at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium. "We've captured incredible footage of these magnificent creatures tumbling and twirling in the water. It's a rare and exciting sight that showcases their natural courting behaviours."

The new footage demonstrates the ‘tough love’ display between Murdoch and Mary-Lou, where they both roll and twist in the water, while biting each other’s fins.

Sydney’s warm weather has ignited a passionate start to the spring mating season. The aquarium’s five grey nurse sharks, two females - Striker and Mary-Lou and three males - Murdoch, Napoleon and Trio, are all likely to take part in the mating rituals this year.

In addition to biting the females, males will also flip them upside down to put them into a state of ‘tonic immobility’ which has a hypnotic effect on the females and allows the male to fertilise the female. Grey nurse sharks are listed as critically Endangered and are one of the slowest species of shark to reproduce, with females only breeding once every two years.

Guests to the aquarium during spring will potentially witness this unique shark love in action! More information can be found at:  www.visitsealife.com/sydney.

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Merlin Entertainments is a world leader in branded entertainment destinations, offering a diverse portfolio of resort theme parks, city-centre gateway attractions and LEGOLAND® Resorts which span across the UK, US, Western Europe, China and Asia Pacific. Dedicated to creating experiences that inspire joy and connection, Merlin welcomes more than 62 million guests annually to its growing estate, with over 140 sites across 23 countries. An expert in bringing world-famous entertainment brands to life, Merlin works with partners including the LEGO® Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Peppa Pig, DreamWorks and Ferrari to create destinations where guests can immerse themselves in a wide array of brand-driven worlds, rides and uplifting learning experiences.  See www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information.