Diet observation and behavioral training of a juvenile male zebra shark Stegostoma tigrinum (Forster, 1781) at Gardaland Sealife

Stegostoma tigrinum (Forster, 1781), known as the zebra shark, inhabits the coastal waters of continental shelves and islands in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans. According to the IUCN it’s classified as Endangered with a declining population. In recent years, interest from aquariums and conservation initiatives has increased. Ensuring the welfare of zebra sharks in captivity requires a spacious tank with stable environmental conditions. A well-balanced diet is crucial for their maintenance, and dietary supplementation may be necessary due to variations in natural prey composition. Moreover, to reinforce desired behaviors in the feeding activities, training based on positive reinforcement is needed. This study aims to optimize husbandry strategies, focusing on the diet and behavioral training of a juvenile zebra shark hosted at Gardaland SEA LIFE. Training data were collected from July 10 to September 30, 2023, and feeding data from July 10, 2023, to January 31, 2025. The shark’s diet included crustaceans, cephalopods, and fish, selected based on literature and behavioral responses. Positive reinforcement was applied alongside feeding to condition the shark to enter a stretcher, accept manual contact, and engage in target feeding. Throughout the study, food quantity and composition varied. Some items were excluded due to rejection by the shark. A comparison between the planned diet and actual consumption revealed food preferences. Squid had the highest completion rate of the daily ration throughout the study period, while red shrimp, white leg shrimp, and mackerel also received a highly positive response. Training yielded tangible results, allowing the shark to develop behaviors essential for aquarium management. It voluntarily entered the stretcher, but significant behavioral improvements were observed only after target training. Future research should compare this dietary approach with those used for zebra sharks in other aquariums and in the wild.