Public aquaria house numerous shark species, with welfare considerations around tank size, water quality, feeding, and conspecific aggression requiring specialist management.
Shark welfare in public aquaria requires large, species-appropriate tanks with precise water chemistry control, appropriate social groupings, and individual feeding management. The welfare status of sharks in captivity is often assessed only by survival and absence of obvious disease, missing more subtle welfare indicators like stereotypic movement, feeding rates, and social dynamics. High-welfare shark exhibits demonstrate active research into individual animal welfare alongside conservation messaging. Consumer choice of aquaria with demonstrated welfare commitments and published welfare reports incentivises investment in welfare improvement.