A black reef shark joins the group! (Joetsu City Aquatic Museum, Umigatari)

The new mainstay of the aquarium!

A black-helmeted white shark, which is rare in captivity in Japan, has joined the Municipal Aquatic Museum Umgatari in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture.

This is a black reef shark, a member of the white shark family, actively swimming around in the large aquarium tank. It was acquired from Aqua World Ibaraki Oarai Aquarium last December.

It is the only migratory shark in the Umigatari, and as its name suggests, it is characterized by its black dorsal and anal fins and white around the eyes. Its current length is about 1 meter, but it can grow up to 3 meters.

According to Umi-tari, this shark also lives off the coast of Joetsu, but sightings are rare and breeding is difficult, so only five aquariums in Japan, including Umigatari and Marinepia Nihonkai, display this shark.

Breeding Staff　
The black reef shark is a shark that lives in the Sea of Japan, and I hope it will be the centerpiece of the large tank in the Umigatari area. Since the white shark is a migratory shark, we have exhibited benthic sharks until now, so I hope visitors will compare and contrast the differences with the sharks that swim.”

In addition, a spring-inspired exhibit has begun at Umigatari to coincide with the cherry blossom viewing party at Takada Joshi Park.

Four types of killifish, including white and orange, are displayed in a gorgeous tank decorated with cherry blossoms.

Breeding staff
The cherry blossom viewing party will be held, but it is still chilly, so I want you to see the sakura in the Japanese tank and feel the sakura in the Umigatari.” Still0307_00006 (1)