STOP the imprisonment of two hammerhead sharks in a very small tank at an Adelaide nightclub

Illustration by Leslie Dean Brown

This has got to be stopped because it is sending out the wrong message about nature to a generation of youngsters.

A night club in Adelaide, started by Nathan Buttigieg, is opening in March 2016 and as a part of the multi-million dollar club they want to add two hammerhead sharks to an aquarium exhibit. As if all of his other proposed spectacles aren't enough, he has to add this cruel exhibit to his club for show. And he's allowed to do so because hammerheads are not a protected species.

It's wrong on so many levels. It's disrespectful to the animals for a start. It's cruel. It's inhumane. It's wrong that these beautiful creatures are seen as entertainment. It's wrong that they are exposed to loud music. It's wrong that they have to look at a bunch of losers while they swim around and around in a tank that is too small when they should be out free in the ocean. It's wrong that Nathan Buttigieg is attempting to profit by it. It's just plain wrong.

According to National geographic, the great hammerhead shark can grow up to 20 feet (6 meters) in length and weigh up to 1,000 pounds (450 kg). How is that even going to fit in a 3.5m circular tank I wonder?

The original story about the club can be read here.

Please sign this petition today telling Buttigieg to remove the hammerhead sharks from his night club plan!

How else can you stop this? You can leave a message on their facebook page. Let them know what you think about their idea!
UPDATE: Now they've even tried to take some of the heat off themselves and have started a second facebook page with a different name. They have also banned me from making any new comments on their facebook page.

Leave them a bad (one star) review.

Another way to help a great deal is to share this petition on all your social media channels...

UPDATE 21/01/16: Here is their latest 'statement':

There comes a time in every-mans life when he has to clarify his intentions. Whether it's to his nagging wife, stubborn girlfriend or the national media and general public.

So to clarify. Never have we intended, explicitly stated or wanted to house sharks that are 1.5 meters in length. Our vision for the venue has been shaped by our personal experiences. From beautiful Las Vegas hostesses, Parisian house-music clubs, The Royal Melbourne Children's Hospital Aquarium, acrobatic fire shows in Shanghai and that trip we spent way too much time at the MGM Grand Blackjack table.

_____

Further info about sharks in captivity taken from various sources²:

Marine parks often sell the ferocity of sharks to their visitors, but experts say that these terrifying fishes are actually very fragile, and may be victims of the sub-par environment that they are provided in captivity.

The sharks in tanks at marine parks around the world have been reported to have scoliosis, skin problems from poor water or sediment quality, and unhealthy or abnormal swim patterns and postures.

The Stress of Captivity

Many experts believe that it is the high level of intelligence that sharks have that make it difficult for them to live in captivity. They incur a high level of stress due to the new environment. They definitely realize they aren't in the their natural environment any more even though many of these locations are similar to where they once where.

Migration patterns are another concern. Sharks that migrate find it confusing and difficult to not have that ability. Realistically, it isn't possible to allow them to move hundreds of miles when they are in captivity. They may become aggressive at that point and many of them even refuse to each.
Different Behavior in Captivity

Many experts agree that sharks in captivity don't follow many of the usual behaviors that they would in the wild either. Therefore observing them in captivity to learn about how they live in the wild really isn't very useful at all. We have learned some basics though about reproduction and even the recovery process though.

All sharks have keen senses and they are able to pick up on vibrations as well as electrical currents in the water. It is also believed that these senses become very confused while they are in captivity. They rely upon such senses for navigation, to find prey, and to avoid danger in the wild. Sharks are very complex creatures and we still don't know enough about them to keep them content in captivity.

The larger that a shark species can grow to become, the less likely it is that they will successfully be able to survive in captivity. Even very small ones that you can buy at pet stores for aquariums don't have a very long life. There are simply too many variables in their natural environment that haven't been identified. Therefore it is impossible to duplicate them in captivity.
Captivity for Conservation

The main reason that they are kept these days if for them to be successfully cared for and then returned to the wild. When sharks are injured they may require care that allows them to successfully survive again in the wild after they have had enough time to recover.

Many conservation groups for sharks have made it known that they don't want these sharks in captivity. They definitely will only accept it if that is the only way in which the creature is going to be able to live. Since it is so expensive to keep them in captivity many locations are willing to return them to the wild as soon as it is safe to do so.

As you can see, keeping sharks in captivity is quite a challenge. That is why the focus is on conserving their natural environments at this time rather than continuing to find new ways to keep them in captivity. It is believed that there will be more value to spend time and money on such efforts.

Sharks are keen on detecting vibrations, scents, sounds, and even electrical currents in the water. The captive environment ... may confuse these senses. Additionally, many sharks experience a strong instinct to migrate or travel long distances. This need to travel cannot be met in captivity. In fact, many of the tanks are over crowded and excessively small which may lead to unnatural fin curling. As a result of these complications, captive sharks have often been seen displaying aggressive body language (fins down, back arched).

There remain relatively few specimens in captivity today. There are several reasons for this. First, it is difficult to capture a shark due to its strength and resistance. In general, they are large and, when being lured near to boats and people with the use of bait, they are in hunting mode, making them particularly vicious. Once caught, they are then difficult to transport. Sharks are particularly sensitive to electromagnetic signals and the capture team needs to ensure that the vehicle, structures and equipment used for the transportation do not interfere with their receptive signals.

In addition, the shark does not have a hard bony skeletal structure to support their bodies. When out of water, some sharks may actually crush their own organs under the weight of their bodies. This needs to be taken into account during the movement of the animal from the ocean into the tank or stretcher. Once they arrive at the aquarium, there arises the third challenge of providing adequate and appropriate space for the shark to hunt and travel around. Again, there arises the issue of electromagnetic signals, and tanks need to be designed and created by concerned experts.

This is, unfortunately, not the case in many areas of the world, where species are dumped into unsuitable, small and inappropriate tanks, where they do not survive or thrive for very long.

² References:
https://cetaceaninspiration.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/sharks-and-rays-are-suffering-in-captivity/
http://www.sharks-world.com/sharks_in_captivity/
http://www.sharksinfo.com/sharks-in-captivity.html