Newquay's Blue Reef Aquarium has been inundated with tropical shark pups after more than 30 recently hatched.
The Bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium punctatum, pups were all discovered as eggs in the aquarium's 50,000 l Tropical Lagoon display. Although the sharks are relatively easy to breed, it is unusual to see such large numbers.
Blue Reef Aquarium curator Matt Slater said: "We have always been successful with our captive breeding programme for tropical sharks but even we've been surprised at the sheer number of eggs which have been laid. What's even more unusual is the fact that so many of them have proved to be fertile and have resulted in live births.
"Our Tropical Shark Lagoon was specially designed to act as a nursery for young fish; particularly sharks and rays and this goes to illustrate that's we've managed to get conditions just right."
At the moment the babies are covered with distinctive black and white stripes but these will gradually fade as they grow.
Fully grown they will measure around one metre in length and be a light brown colour. As they mature, the sharks will then be sent to other aquariums throughout the UK.