Easter came early for the staff at SeaQuarium when they were surprised to find their Ocean tank had 30 ray egg cases when Corey Prendergast, aged 5 from Rhyl, pointed to them and asked what they were? Aquarist Martyn Chandler said: ‘We were very shocked to see so many egg cases turn up overnight in the tank as we haven’t had any hatch for a few years at the aquarium’. Martyn added: “The fertile eggs will then go on display in special nursery tanks where visitors will be able to watch them grow and develop and eventually, we hope, hatch into babies”. 

Also known as Mermaid’s purses, the beautiful transparent pouches clearly show the growing embryos getting ready to hatch. Visitors can also touch and feel empty casings in the daily touch pool demonstrations.

In association with shark trust’s most recent conservation project, SeaQuarium are asking anyone who spots any egg cases on the beach, to get in contact with them or alternatively visit www.eggcase.org to report their findings. Martyn said: “In recent decades several species of skate and ray around the British coast have dramatically declined in numbers. The empty eggcases that wash up on to our beaches all year round are an easily accessible source of information on the whereabouts of skate and ray nursery grounds and we would like to hear from anyone who finds them”.

The identification of these critical areas will enable the Shark Trust to propose conservation measures, in order to reverse the decline of these charismatic animals.

If you visit the SeaQuarium over Easter there is a special competition, where visitors can win a Giant Easter egg. You can also get up close to some real shark and ray egg cases and see the new baby axolotls that were born recently.