SEA LIFE centres across the UK have announced there has been a dramatic increase in births this winter, as the attraction welcomes baby sharks and rays to its waters.

SEA LIFE Brighton, the world’s oldest operating aquarium, has welcomed five California horn sharks into the world, who have just celebrated their six-month birthday.

The pups are thriving and enjoying their time in the aquarium’s waters. To celebrate their birth and the festive season, the site has named the five new additions to the attraction after Santa’s reindeers – Rudolph, Vixen, Comet, Cupid and Blitzen.

SEA LIFE Brighton’s California Horn Shark.jpg SEA LIFE Hunstanton’s Baby California Horn Sharks.jpeg
California Horn Sharks at SEA LIFE Brighton and SEA LIFE Hunstanton

Elsewhere, SEA LIFE Hunstanton has also welcomed two california horn sharks. Originally hatching back in September, the four-month-old female pups are now on display at the attraction and are in keeping with the festive spirit as they’ve been named Dasher and Prancer – due to how quickly they swim around the displays.

And that’s not all…as more baby sharks were brought into the SEA LIFE family at SEA LIFE Weymouth. The adorable baby black tip reef sharks were born at SEA LIFE Brighton before being relocated to SEA LIFE Weymouth to enjoy the Tropical Lagoon.

The four adorable snappers – three females and one male – like to feed on sardines and squid. Unlike bamboo sharks, black tip reef sharks have to constantly swim, as they require constant flow and movement over their gills to pump oxygen, unlike other shark species.