Sharks kept in public aquaria face significant welfare challenges from space constraints, social composition, and feeding management. Modern welfare standards are transforming shark display while strengthening conservation messaging.
Shark aquarium welfare involves species-appropriate display decisions. Open-ocean pelagic sharks — species that travel thousands of miles annually — cannot be kept to welfare standards in any current aquarium. Reef-associated species in large, naturalistic exhibits with appropriate social composition and feeding management can achieve better welfare outcomes, though space constraints remain significant. The conservation value of well-designed shark exhibits — changing public perception from fear to concern — provides some justification for carefully managed display, but this justification depends on welfare standards that not all facilities meet. The trend toward larger, more naturalistic exhibits represents genuine welfare progress.