6th April 2010

WEYMOUTH: Love at first bite!

By Harry Walton

TWO zebra horn sharks found themselves finning down the aisle when a great white wedding was held at Weymouth Sea Life Park.

They were basking in the limelight because the Park was using their “marriage” performed by Park “vicar” Kevin Banks to celebrate the opening of their new shark breeding centre.

Displays supervisor Fiona Smith had even arranged a three-storey wedding cake made of fish and ice for the happy couple – Pontos and Thalassa — to sink their teeth in to.

Fiona said: “The idea of a wedding came about because we wanted to commemorate the launch of our new feature by doing something different but also by doing something that related to couples and having babies.

“Most married couples have a baby after the first year of marriage, so our hope is that our couple will do the same.”

The new exhibit will not only house the two zebra horns but will also be home to several other breeds of shark and tropical marine fish including two Port Jackson sharks, two Guitar sharks, several Cow Nose rays and Threadfins and various breeds of Tang.

The new centre will allow visitors and the Park’s animal care team to witness the breeding rituals of a shark first hand.

Fiona said: “The new feature has purposely been built to offer our sharks a more natural and nurturing environment to breed in and in doing so will give us and guests a better understanding of how our sharks procreate.”

Staff are now hoping that the mako (correct) break relationship will be love at first bite.

PHOTO: SEA LIFE Park “vicar” Kevin Banks peforms the shark wedding ceremony