Large sharks including sand tigers and nurse sharks in public aquariums face welfare challenges from inadequate space and inappropriate social conditions.
Sharks in aquarium settings need large volumes of water, appropriate water chemistry, and space for their natural movement patterns. Inadequate tank size causes compulsive circling and other stereotypic behaviors. Social management is critical as some species are aggressive toward conspecifics. Species like great white sharks have proved impossible to keep ethically. The welfare of sharks in display settings requires substantial resources that many facilities cannot provide. Smaller, poorly resourced aquariums should not keep large sharks.