Meet our newest resident: A ragged-tooth shark called Tracey-Lee

At the Two Oceans Aquarium, visitors from all over the world flock to get a closer look at some of the ocean’s most beautiful, majestic, and quirky life forms. The shiver of ragged-tooth sharks in the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibitare no exception.

The cavernous exhibit is home to five ragged-tooth sharks, or “raggies” as they’re fondly dubbed in South Africa. And recently, we welcomed our newest resident: A 50kg female raggie called Tracey-Lee!

We pride ourselves on ethically collecting and releasing many of our animals - in fact, our ragged-tooth sharks are one of our most successful tag and release programmes. There is a healthy population of ragged-tooth sharks in the Eastern Cape, which is why it is often our chosen collection site. Tracey-Lee was collected in the Eastern Cape by our Senior Collections Aquarist, Simon Brill, who named the shark after his wife.

For the short journey back to the Aquarium, Tracey-Lee was comfortably settled in a portable holding tank filled with oxygenated water. Once the precious cargo arrived in Cape Town, it was all hands on deck to get Tracey-Lee safely into her temporary housing in our quarantine area.

Throughout this entire process, our veterinarian, Dr Ilse Jenkinson, kept a close eye on Tracey-Lee to make sure everything went smoothly. Tracey-Lee spent a few weeks in her temporary space to ensure she was acclimatised, healthy, and settled before her debut in the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit.

Like the other ragged-tooth sharks at the Aquarium, Tracey-Lee will call this space home for a few years before she is released back into the ocean. Through tagging and monitoring their post-release movements, studies have proven that there is no significant difference in behaviour between raggies that have been housed in the Aquarium for several years and wild sharks that have never left the ocean.

For visitors to the Aquarium, Tracey-Lee is an exciting addition to the majestic group of raggies. She is significantly smaller than the other raggies, Jemma, Harper, Blue, and Charlie, which makes it much easier for visitors to spot this adorable raggie as she floats along the bottom of the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit.

The sharks at the Aquarium play a crucial role as ambassadors for their species, helping visitors understand the challenges they face in the wild. Ragged-tooth sharks are listed as Critically Endangered due to their slow maturity and vulnerability to inshore fishing pressures. For visitors to the Aquarium, the rare and thrilling experience of coming face-to-face with these stunning animals is both awe-inspiring and deeply important for awareness.

Our Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit offers an exceptional chance to see these often-misunderstood animals up close and learn about their true nature beyond the stereotypes. As you wander through Shark Alley, panoramic views and engaging displays bring their story to life, offering insights that captivate, educate, and inspire every ocean-minded visitor.

So, what are you waiting for? Now’s your chance to meet Tracey-Lee, learn more about ragged-tooth sharks, and create memories that will last a lifetime, all at the Two Oceans Aquarium.