NC aquarium staff makes ‘difficult decision’ to euthanize sand tiger shark

PINE KNOLL SHORES, NC (WCTI) — A sand tiger shark at an eastern North Carolina aquarium was euthanized on Tuesday.

The veterinary team at the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores said it made the “difficult decision” to humanely euthanize a sand tiger shark named Jolene after two years of treatment and monitoring.

“This was not a decision we made easily. You could see it on the faces of each person and hear the enormity of the situation in the questions and statements each person made when we gathered to discuss her situation,” said Liz Baird, director of the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. “At the end of the day, it was important for us to look at her overall health and quality of life.”

Staff began caring for the shark in 2010, aquarium officials said, when the now roughly 12-year-old came to the aquarium after being from pound nets in Connecticut.

They said caring for more than 4,000 animals is a large responsibility, and caring for sick animals — especially a 400-pound shark — can be a difficult task.

“About two years ago we started noticing bumps and lesions on Jolene’s flanks,” Emily Christiansen, North Carolina Aquariums Division veterinarian, said. “We decided we needed to get a closer look at what was going on.”