SeaWorld Orlando celebrates historic birth of critically endangered sawfish pups

The stork has flown to SeaWorld Orlando, bringing new babies and a new historic milestone in conservation efforts. 

SeaWorld announced this week the birth of three critically endangered smalltooth sawfish pups, marking the world's second birth of the animals into human care.

Smalltooth sawfish have been listed on the Endangered Species Act for the past 20 years. SeaWorld Orlando is the only aquarium in the country that houses the animals.

The pups, born July 11, include two females and one male, each measured at about two feet in length and proven healthy after thorough examination. The two adult smalltooth sawfish parents have been housed at SeaWorld since the 1980s. 

“This is an extraordinary success in the realm of sawfish conservation, and it is our privilege to provide world-class care for this critically endangered species,” said Dr. Joseph Gaspard, SeaWorld's vice president of zoological operations. “The birth of these smalltooth pups allows for a greater understanding of how to turn the tide on the declining sawfish populations and spread the message of education to our millions of guests that visit each year.”
Smalltooth sawfish have a shark-like appearance but are categorized as rays, with gills and mouths on their undersides. The animals inhabit tropical seas and estuaries in the Atlantic Ocean and occasionally venture into freshwater river systems, notably, the Bahamas, Cuba and near Florida's coastal areas.

According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, smalltooth sawfish are the only species of sawfishes to be born in U.S. waters. To maintain further understanding of the rare species, the AZA created the Sawfish Survival Plan, one that SeaWorld says it intends to follow to give the family a healthy and happy life.

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