Follow Hong Kong Investment Immigration and Hong Kong News: On the 3rd, 6 endangered hammerhead sharks died suddenly at Hong Kong Ocean Park within just 7 hours. Experts who examined the carcasses suspect that the sharks' nervous systems may have been infected by a virus, though the specific virus remains unknown. On the 4th, the park suspended snorkeling and diving activities in the Grand Aquarium and stated that the remaining 8 hammerhead sharks are doing well.
A spokesperson for Ocean Park Hong Kong stated that a portion of the park's annual revenue is allocated to the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong to fund hundreds of conservation projects by various research teams. The park also announced that it will appoint an independent auditor this year to audit data regarding animal acquisition, transfer, birth, and mortality rates to address public concerns. It is expected that starting this December, the public will be able to view the audited animal data in the annual performance report. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of Hong Kong stated that it has collected tissue samples from the deceased hammerhead sharks for pathological testing to assist in the investigation of the cause of death.
Expert: Sharks have high immunity, infections are rare
A reporter visited Ocean Park on the 4th and observed 5 hammerhead sharks swimming simultaneously behind one of the glass walls of the "Grand Aquarium." Dr. Yvonne Sadovy, President of the Hong Kong Fish Biology Association, who is assisting the park in investigating the cause of death, pointed out that sharks coexist with many bacteria and have high immunity to them, making infections rare. She noted that the sharks in question had no surface injuries and their internal organs appeared normal. However, based on the park's description that the sharks lost their balance before death, she estimates that their nervous systems were paralyzed, preventing their muscles from functioning properly.