Tagging and Release of a Captive Whale Shark after Eight Years in Taiwan's Aquarium: A Case Study

國立台灣海洋生物博物館（海生館）自2005年6月開始圈養一尾全長230公分之鯨鯊，經8年飼育後體長達到720公分，自從該尾個體開始發生刻板行為後，海生館便決定於2013年予以放流。放流當日（2013年7月10日）自凌晨1：00開始，工作人員便陸續將水族缸中其他動物隔離，並將鯨鯊搬運至金屬水箱中，兩時安裝一枚連接了2公尺長不鏽鋼絲的衛星標識籤及一枚傳統標籤於鯨鯊身上，接著載運至碼頭，然後將鯨鯊移至預先準備的箱網中，再以船舶將箱網推至離碼頭700公尺的預定地點放流，並在清晨5：05完成，該鯨鯊於上午5：50在淺水區擱淺，接著被帶往較遠的海域，並於上午8：05完成第二次放流，從呼吸及游泳的狀況判斷其健康情形良好，然而鯨鯊卻又於上午11：00~11：30間擱淺在鵝卵石灘上，經過3個多小時，最後該尾個體被帶到離岸3.1公里，水深約100公尺的地方，進行第三次放流，但此時其身體狀況已經非常不佳。從這事件可以瞭解到（1）當出現刻板行為時，顯示水缸已經太小；（2）放流前應先在比水缸更大的海中箱網以進行野外環境適應；（3）鯨鯊於箱網中時必須定期進行適應情形評估；（4）放流地點應該要離岸較遠、較深，或者有較強離岸流的水域中以避免擱淺；（5）放流之後應在海上持續監控至少12小時或1個潮汐週期。本研究對於搬運以及放流經過長期圈養的大型鯨鯊提供了相當寶貴的經驗。

關鍵字

圈養；放流；刻板行為；擱淺

並列摘要

A 230 cm total length (TL) male whale shark was raised since June 2005 in the Open Ocean tank of the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Taiwan. This individual grew to 720 cm TL after 8 years in captivity. When the shark developed stereotypic behaviors, the decision was made to release it in 2013. The whale shark was segregated from other animals, placed in a metal tank, transported to the wharf, and moved to a sea pen; a boat then pushed the sea pen to the release location 700 m offshore from the wharf and released the shark from 1:00 to 5:05 AM, 10th July 2013. A satellite tag towed with a 2 m stainless steel wire and a conventional tag were attached on the shark, respectively. The shark stranded to shallow water at 5:50 AM, and was brought further offshore for 2nd release at 8:05 AM. The shark breathed and swam very well after 2nd release, but subsequently stranded on a cobble shoal between 11:00 and 11:30 AM. Over the next 3 hrs and being towed 3.1 km off the coast to water 100 m deep for 3rd release, however the shark was in very bad condition at that time. From this event we learned 1) appearance of stereotypic behaviors indicated that the tank was too small, 2) a larger sea pen for wild acclimation is needed; 3) the suitability for release should be assessed periodically after moving to the sea pen; 4) the release location should be far offshore and deep enough or with stronger current to avoid stranding, and 5) observations after the release should be continued at least 12 hours or 1 tidal cycle. This study provides an important experience on transportation and release of a large whale shark after prolonged captivity.

並列關鍵字

captivity ； release ； stereotypic behavior ； strand

國際替代計量

Tagging and Release of a Captive Whale Shark after Eight Years in Taiwan's Aquarium: A Case Study

全文下載

主題瀏覽