Shark Model Exhibition

The shark model exhibition “Sharks – Endangered Guardians of the Oceans”, opened in May of last year, is thematically arranged across four separate rooms in the San Giovanni Battery: Shark Biology, Adriatic Sharks, Shark Facts, and Dangerous Shark Species.

The exhibition features 20 life-size models of Mediterranean and tropical shark species, accompanied by informative panels. Its centerpiece is a large great white shark, approximately six meters long, which has become the most popular photo point. The exhibition explores various aspects of sharks, from their anatomy and reproduction to the use of fins in the food industry, as well as data on species and recorded attacks in the Mediterranean.

Such exhibitions in natural history museums and aquariums are particularly important because they allow visitors to learn about endangered species and those that should be avoided as food due to overfishing risks.

Today, the Mediterranean is home to roughly 80 species of cartilaginous fish (sharks and rays), more than half of which are threatened with extinction. While overfishing remains the greatest threat, sharks are further endangered by climate change, coastal habitat degradation, and marine pollution.

The exhibition will soon be enhanced with educational materials from the LIFE European Sharks project, led by the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station in Naples. In addition to Italian partners, the project includes collaborators from France and Croatia, who recognized our institution as a key venue for disseminating information due to the high number of visitors we receive annually.