Dubai: A four-metre whale shark found struggling in Jebel Ali waters has been shipped to large tanks at Atlantis, The Palm.
The water adventure park disclosed on Tuesday that it found the shark in the shallows where the “whale shark was clearly under duress when it was sighted by a local fisherman.''
Atlantis officials didn't say whether they planned to release the animal back into the wild if, and when, it recovers.
Government officials were notified by the fisherman and they in turn called Atlantis to activate its stranding network.
Marine biologists were dispatched to the scene of the capture, on August 28.
“Due to the high temperature and salinity of the water, the decision was made to transport the whale shark to the 11 million litre Ambassador Lagoon at Atlantis, The Palm for medical care and observation,'' the resort stated.
The shark was shipped using the Atlantis transport unit which contains “a highly advanced marine life transport system'' the resort said.
The animal is now under observation 24 hours a day.
Alan Leibman, President and Managing Director of Atlantis, The Palm, said in a statement that “Atlantis, The Palm is proud to be able to offer our expertise and recognised leadership in marine science to the United Arab Emirates.
"The whale shark is an animal about which little is known and we hope that we can add to the research and data that is available. Aquariums and marine habitats have been the key to education about our oceans and the animals that live in them. Education, conservation and research go hand in hand to benefit all marine life.''
