Hammerheads captured off the Great Barrier Reef die in a French aquarium 'after EATING each other' - as conservation groups call for live export of the sharks to be banned

  • Thirty sharks captured on the Great Barrier Reef have died in a French aquarium 
  • Some scalloped hammerhead sharks reportedly attacked and ate others
  • France's Nausicaa aquarium has denied any mistreatment of sharks 
  • Sea Shepherd France has initiated legal action against Nausicaa aquarium

By Sahil Makkar For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

Thirty hammerhead sharks captured off the Great Barrier Reef have died in a French aquarium.

The last of the 30 scalloped hammerheads exported to an aquarium near Calais, France, died last month after they were allegedly mistreated.  

Nausicaa, Europe's biggest aquarium, is facing a lawsuit over the deaths which happened between 2011 and 2018.  

Sea Shepherd France is bringing legal action against the aquarium, which initially claimed the sharks' deaths had been caused by a fungal infection.

But the conservation group claim that some of the sharks attacked and ate each other after being abused, and the activists are now calling for live export of the sharks to be outlawed.

Thirty scalloped hammerhead sharks captured on the Great Barrier Reef have died, some reportedly attacked and ate each other, at a French aquarium (file picture)

Thirty scalloped hammerhead sharks captured on the Great Barrier Reef have died, some reportedly attacked and ate each other, at a French aquarium (file picture)

Lamya Essemlali, president of Sea Shepherd France, said her organisation has sought access to all documents related to the care and transport of the sharks.

'It's all very blurry from Nausicaa,' Ms Essemlali told The Guardian.

'That is why we are asking in our lawsuit for a deep investigation of everything that happened from the moment they imported them in 2011.'  

Scalloped hammerhead sharks are currently listed as 'conservation dependent,' meaning commercial fishing of the animals is allowed.

Some experts say the number of scalloped hammerhead sharks has declined in Queensland waters, and others believe they can become extremely stressed in captivity.

The Australian government said it was not aware of the deaths. 

Nausicaa, Europe's biggest aquarium, is facing a lawsuit over the deaths which happened between 2011 and 2018 (pictured Nausicaa aquarium)

Nausicaa, Europe's biggest aquarium, is facing a lawsuit over the deaths which happened between 2011 and 2018 (pictured Nausicaa aquarium)

 

 

 

 

France

Most watched News videos