Baby Sharks are Hatching at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum
24 Banded Bamboo Shark eggs have been laid, three babies have emerged and named in honor of the 2016 USA Olympic Swim Team
This past weekend, a mother Banded Bamboo Shark housed at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum’s Marine Life Gallery, laid 24 eggs to be hatched and raised at the Museum’s dedicated shark hatchery. Among the 24 eggs, three baby sharks have emerged and have been named Phelps, Miller and King – symbolic of the 2016 USA Olympic Swim Team members including Michael Phelps, Lilly King and local Vegas Olympian, Cody Miller.
The purpose of the Museum’s hatching program, and all parts of the Museum, is to educate the Southern Nevada community about the wonders of natural science. This rare and unique scientific occurrence offers guests an inside look into the biological development of sharks. The sharks will eventually go to the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay to live permanently.
Once laid, the eggs are placed in the hatchery, located in the Marine Life Gallery. The hatchery is back-lit and the eggs are translucent making the development of the sharks something that can be observed and measured.
“Our hatchery program and partnership with the Shark Reef offers something special to our community that many others don’t get to experience,” said Gillespie. “This is especially exciting to have one of our sharks lay so many eggs, allowing us to watch them grow until they are born.”
Admission to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum starts at $10 for adults. For more information on the other galleries at the Museum, visit Facebook, Twitter or www.lvnhm.org.
ABOUT THE LVNHM:
The Las Vegas Natural History Museum opened in 1991 and is a private, non–profit institution dedicated to educating children, adults, and families in the natural sciences, both past and present. Through its interactive exhibits, educational programs, and the preservation of its collections, the Museum strives to instill an understanding and appreciation of the world’s wildlife, ecosystems, and cultures. Please visit www.lvnhm.org or call (702) 384–(DINO) 3466 for additional information.