DUBAI 14 October 2017: The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo has welcomed an incredibly rare new resident!
Easily identified by its 2-metre long snout, which is edged with special teeth, the Largetooth Sawfish, or Pristis microdon, is one of the biggest inhabitants of the tank, and comes to Dubai Aquarium as a member of the ray and shark family.
Due to a range of factors, including intrinsic and extrinsic reasons such as indiscriminate fishing and accidental entanglement in fishing nets, sawfish populations have declined over the years. They are incredibly rare and are currently considered as critically endangered and under threat of extinction.
Only aquariums with the very highest standard in husbandry programmes are given permission to home the endangered Sawfish – thanks to Dubai Aquarium’s continued international best practices in aquarium management, the Sawfish joins the aquarium family to be cared for in the state-of-the-art facility. As part of efforts to assist in repopulating the declining global numbers, the Sawfish will also join the ongoing Shark AI programme, allowing the team to learn more about its breeding habits which will hopefully lead to avoiding extinction for this incredible species.
A few fun facts about the Sawfish:
- Sawfish are generally found in rivers, lakes, estuaries, and marine waters, shallower than 20-metres
- Females carry their young and give birth to already developed juvenile sawfish
- The teeth on a sawfish’s rostrum (nose) are not their real teeth – they’re modified tooth-like structures called denticles! The teeth they use for eating are small and dome-shaped and located inside its mouth
- A sawfish is a polyphyodont, meaning that it can replace its own teeth if they are worn down or lost
- The Largetooth Sawfish species can grow up to 7 metres in length
To spot the newest aquatic resident first-hand and learn more about this fascinating creature, book tickets at www.thedubaiaquarium.com or call 04 448 5200 for more information.
What: Spot the endangered Sawfish at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
Time: Daily from 10am to 12 midnight
Venue: Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai