Attacked Shark Plans CBAC (Cloacal Birth After Cesarean)
Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 1:38AM
Here’s the story. A shark bit a chunk out of another shark in an aquarium in New Zealand, who happened to be pregnant. Four shark pups emerged. Another four were found alive and all are well.
This shark-on-shark attack, referred to as an “impromptu c-section,” is being credited with saving the innocent pups from the forces of nature.
From The Daily Mail UK:
Aquarist Fiona Davies said it was common for sharks to take chunks out of each other, even in the wild, but she had never heard of anything like this.
Ms Davies said the unusual delivery had probably saved the baby sharks’ lives.
If the mother had given birth naturally, most likely at night, the babies would have been eaten by adult sharks and stingrays before staff could rescue them.
Other headlines hail the amazing pup-saving shark cesarean:
“Shark performs surgery, saves baby sharks from disaster”
“Amazing Delivery! Shark Bites Pregnant Shark - Babies Emerge”
“Shark gives another Caesarean bite and saves babies”
Cut the shit. A shark bit another shark.
Resources:
ISCAN (International Shark Cesarean Awareness Network)
Credit for Photo of a Very Forlorn Shark
Thank you for the link, Leigh from Marvelous Kiddo. It’s always a good day to anthropomorphize sharks.
Reader Comments (9)
Cut the shit. A shark bit another shark.
You put it so succinctly that I HAD to repeat it!
That just reminds me of the attacks on pregnant women where the baby gets cut out......It ts nice that the pups got out OK but certainly not amazing......?
Yeah. Very interesting story but the "WOW AMAZING MIRACLE LIFE-SAVING CESAREAN!" angle is odd.
i think when other animals are protective of a birthing momma.. it's cool. like dolphins swimming around each other and things like that.
but i agree. a shark bit another shark... maybe it didn't want to wait til dark. maybe it was hungry then. ;) it wasn't being protective. it was being a shark.
One title I saw was "Shark acts as Midwife". Ummm... last time I checked midwives weren't surgeons.
I know! That one was so weird. What do people think midwives do?
"A shark bit another shark". But no - one of the sharks was PREGNANT. That means it wasn't really a shark at all, and certainly didn't have any rights to have its safety or well-being or wishes given the same consideration as those of any other shark...
Actually, it was the links below the post that totally cracked me up: Sharks and Sensibility, Swim and Deliver! I'm definitely overdue for bedtime! Thanks for the latenight giggles!
Wow, Jill! You are on a role with your humor. Thanks for yet another giggle! Check out A Shark's Tale as well...snicker.