Sharks as pets, the new crazy (and dangerous) trend that no one felt the need for

Goldfish, step aside. Sharks are the new pets of the moment, kept in home aquariums and cared for like any other pet. And no, it’s not a joke no matter how absurd it is.

It is the new trend that is becoming popular in the United States and in other countries, where friends, relatives and contacts are no longer presented with the usual dog or kitten but with a shark. Social media also spreads it, above all, where every new thing takes root, attracting hundreds if not thousands of followers.

Just take a quick look on TikTok to find, among unlikely contents generated by artificial intelligence, unboxings of packages and shipments containing live sharks purchased who knows where, tutorials that show the creation of more or less large tanks dedicated to them in the living room. These videos, however, are more real than ever.

Zebra sharks are sometimes kept in these aquariums Stegostoma tigrinum, family dogfish Scyliorhinidae spp, specimens of Hemiscyllium ocellatum and others still. All small sharks confined to home aquariums until the end of their days for the joy of the wealthy owners, certainly not theirs.

Thanks to the web and a good dose of recklessness, sharks seem to have become the new must have among pets as well as a status symbol. Have one or more than one create hype, generating in others the desire to obtain a wild predator pbecause saying you have a real shark at home is certainly not like saying you have a stuffed animal.

The trend, however, has serious implications for sharks and their well-being, but not everyone seems to have understood it or wants to open their eyes.

What consequences?

There are many factors to take into consideration and the risks for the species victims of this business. While no animal should deserve to spend its entire life in a tiny tank, sharks are certainly the least suitable to have in your home in this sense.

Home aquariums, even if equipped with any equipment, do not constitute or remotely resemble the true habitat of a shark, an environment where borders do not exist. Moving them to a limited space can inevitably cause high levels of stress in animals, affecting their health in the long run. This also applies to benthic sharks, which can spend relatively long periods without swimming.

Then there is the non-negligible impact that this trend has on wild sharks. Although some specimens can be purchased at ridiculous prices in specialized shops, others could come from decidedly more obscure circles, fueling a dangerous trade for the species.

It cannot be ruled out that some sharks for sale may have been captured in the wild to end up in the next aquarium, dealing another blow to the survival of already fragile populations. If demand were to grow further, this fear could turn into certainty in a flash.

Experts and animal rights activists recommend full awareness when getting a pet, but in the case of a shark they strongly advise against following this trend. Sharks are undoubtedly fascinating predators and essential for the ecosystem, but this does not authorize us to relegate them to an aquarium.

Let’s repeat it together, sharks are not pets and should not be treated as such.