Breeding Hope: An aquarist’s mission to restore the shark population

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From Hong Kong’s mountainous suburbs to S.E.A. Aquarium, Chua Ming Lim’s journey has taken her from a childhood fascination with marine life to becoming an advocate for shark conservation. As an Aquarist Specialist, she spends her days caring for and protecting these species, both inside and outside the waters.

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By: Syahiran, Jayden and Yun Xuan

Ms Chua Ming Lim feeding Vanda, a zebra shark at the shipwreck habitat where she was born on Aug 9, 2016, hence the name. Vanda’s diet consists of good quality fish such as tuna, clam and squid.

(PHOTO: Mothership)

From Mountain Views to Ocean Blues When people think of shark divers, they often imagine a bold, macho figure braving danger to handle these ‘scary’ creatures. But sharks are actually docile, and those who dive with them are as thoughtful as they are fearless. Meet Chua Ming Lim, a 28-year-old Aquarist Specialist at S.E.A. Aquarium Singapore. She has a mission: restoring the shark population through cross-breeding.

This fascination only deepened with age, driving her to pursue formal studies in marine biology. Now, as an aquarist specialist, she has turned her lifelong interest into a hands-on career, dedicating herself to the care and preservation of sharks and other marine life.

Tidal waves standing in her way However, her mission has not been smooth sailing and there have been plenty of challenges along the way. Just last year, she managed to breed the Juvenile Bowmouth Guitarfish, a critically endangered species. 

"In the animal world, you want to be genetically diverse. By exchanging animals with different aquariums, you can actually diversify your gene pool and increase their chances of survival," she added.

Rhina ancylostoma more commonly known as Bowmouth Guitarfish is a critically endangered species living in coastal waters around coral reefs in Southeast Asia, often hunted for their fins. Two currently reside in the S.E.A. Aquarium.

(Photo: Jayden Wee)

Unfortunately, not even a year later, the two Juvenile Bowmouth Guitarfishes passed away. Although the initial hatchings were a success, the baby fishes struggled to thrive, despite her team’s best efforts. The loss was a big setback, but one that taught her many lessons.

Sharing Knowledge, Building Success The significance of these lessons took centre stage when Ms Chua presented her team's findings at the 2024 International Elasmobranch Convention, where ocean conservationists from all over the world share their experiences. Her presentation on the Bowmouth Guitarfish caught the attention of the community. 

“Despite the unfortunate loss of the Bowmouth Guitarfish sharks, we will use this experience to ensure this does not happen again,” she shared. 

A Critical Mission in Singapore's Context The timing of these insights couldn’t come any sooner. Despite global efforts to protect sharks, Singapore remains a key player in the international shark fin trade. According to a 2017 WWF study, we are the world’s second-largest shark fin trader, a position that continues to contribute to the alarming decline in shark populations.

Although public awareness around shark conservation has grown, the consumption of shark fin is still legal in Singapore, and many locals consider it a cultural delicacy, often consumed during celebrations or special occasions. (Photo: https://www.stopsharkfinning.net/)

The challenge now lies in shifting long-held perceptions and encouraging people to understand the broader ecological impact of their choices. It’s a cultural shift that must move beyond tradition. However, change won’t happen overnight, and it will require continuous effort to educate the public about the importance of protecting these incredible animals.

“A good start would be avoiding shark fin soup completely and substituting it instead with bee hoon for taste,” said Mr Tan Beng Yong, Deputy Director of Education at Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES). 

“Another way to help the sharks and the oceans is to go plant-based. Seafood impacts the marine environment significantly, not only by losing the animals but practices that often lead to habitat destruction, overfishing and bycatch,” he added.

A National Day Success Story

These steps are just one of many small changes we as general members of the public can make to support shark conservation efforts. As for Ms Chua, her efforts have not been in vain. 

Since opening in 2012, the aquarium has successfully bred 24 whitetip reef sharks, a species classified as "Vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Ms Chua herself has been involved with some of these successful breedings.

Before landing a job on S.E.A Aquarium’s shores, Ms Chua has had stints at smaller companies like Barramundi Asia and Marine Life Aquaculture.

(PHOTO: Chua Ming Lim )

Take Vanda, the zebra shark, who was born asexually through a process called “parthenogenesis”, a phenomenon that occurs in fewer than 1% of the species.

"Vanda is like our baby,” Ms Chua shared fondly. “What makes her extra special is that she is the first baby born through parthenogenesis, on National Day too!” Success stories like Vanda serve as motivation for Ms Chua and the aquarium to strive forward in their conservation mission.

Comprehensive Care and Enrichment A common criticism of aquariums from environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like ACRES is that keeping all these creatures in captivity would stunt their growth. Ms Chua actually counters this with frequent stimulation sessions, consisting of enriching activities to keep them mentally and physically engaged.

During these stimulation sessions, the aquarists introduce new structures and sensory cues into the habitats. This prompts the sharks or even other animals to explore, hunt, and exhibit their natural curious behaviours. 

Ms Chua, regularly participates in these enrichment sessions, interacting directly with the sandbar sharks. The sessions are scheduled routinely, but the team also closely monitors the sharks and will initiate a session if they detect any signs of distress in the animals. 

This proactive approach ensures the sharks' overall well-being and mental stimulation are prioritised during their time in the aquarium's care. Other marine animals are not left out, as creatures like the spotted eagle ray are frequent followers of Ms Chua’s enrichment too.

These stimulation sessions are just a facet of Ms Chua’s job scope, showcasing how being a shark diver is not all about brawn, but brains too as she does research, breeding initiatives, and public education efforts showing her contributions to protecting these vital apex predators.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Shark Conservation As for now, Ms Chua is constantly upskilling herself on ins and outs of marine sustainability. She recently attended the Blue Water EduFest 2024, held from 7–9 November, where she rubbed shoulders with experts who have decades of experience under their belt.

Ms Chua at Blue Water EduFest 2024, took a photo with Dr. Sylvia Earle, a world-renowned American marine ecologist and oceanographer at the event. It covered initiatives to support ocean sustainability.

 (Photo: Chua Ming Lim)

The event featured inspiring talks, including one from Dr. Sylvia, titled “Her Deepness.” She once mentioned: “Sharks are beautiful animals, and if you're lucky enough to see lots of them, that means you're in a healthy ocean. You should be afraid if you don't see sharks!” 

Ms Chua echoed these sentiments as well, emphasising how it’s “everyone's responsibility to help protect our oceans and ensure the survival of these creatures”. 

“At the end of the day, it’s up to all of us to contribute and together, we can make a difference,” she added.