Photos: Dubai-bred baby sharks released into sea

A stingray is being transferred to the sea waters as part of a conservation project by the Atlantis Hotel at The Jebel Ali Wildlife Sanctuary in Dubai. A team of conservationists are releasing baby sharks bred in aquariums into the open sea to contribute to the conservation of native marine species in the Arabian Gulf.

An employee catches an Arabian Carpet shark during the conservation of native marine species project, at the Fish Quarantine facilities of the Atlantis hotel, in Dubai.

An Arabian Carpet shark is being measured during the conservation of native marine species project.

Arabian Carpet sharks eggs are seen at the Fish Quarantine facilities. For the past few years, the hotel's aquarium has sought to contribute to conserving native marine species by breeding honeycomb stingray and brown Arabian carpet sharks before releasing them into the wild, rich with coral reefs and mangroves.

An Arabian Carpet shark’s egg.

Soon, the baby sharks were on the move. The specialists plopped them into big plastic bags and carried their squirming bodies over the white sandy beach of the Jebel Ali Wildlife Sanctuary, a short drive from the hotel.

A baby Arabian carpet shark is transferred to the sea waters.

A stingray is being transferred out of a water tank as part of a conservation project by the Atlantis Hotel.

For a few minutes, many of the sharks appeared spooked, staying close to the shore, before venturing into their vast new home.