Art with a Bite: How an Aquarist’s Idea Launched "Sharks for Sharks"

At Kelly Tarlton’s Marine Wildlife Trust, we believe that great conservation initiatives often start with simple, creative ideas from the people who know our animals best. Today, we are excited to share the story behind our newest fundraising initiative: Sharks for Sharks.

The Spark Behind the Project

If you have ever visited our ocean display, you know that sharks naturally shed teeth throughout their lives. During routine dive operations in the main tanks, our aquarists frequently collect these naturally shed teeth from the sandy floor.

Rachel, one of our passionate aquarists, saw an opportunity right under her fins.

Inspired by existing community initiatives like Penguins for Penguins, Rachel asked a simple question: What if we combined hand-drawn illustrations of our resident sharks with these ethically collected, naturally shed teeth to raise vital funds for wild shark conservation in Aotearoa?

What started as a proposal has officially joined the Kelly Tarlton’s Marine Wildlife Trust family!

How It Works

Each piece created for Sharks for Sharks is a keepsake:

• Hand-Drawn Artwork: Featuring Detailed drawings of species housed right here at Kelly Tarlton’s, including the Sand Tiger Shark (Carcharias taurus) and the Broadnose Sevengill Shark (Notorynchus cepedianus).  

• Naturally Shed Tooth: Every frame or packaged print includes a genuine shark tooth safely recovered by our dive team during routine tank maintenance. No animals are ever harmed in this process.

• Certificate of Authenticity: Signed by our aquarists to verify that the tooth was ethically gathered right here in Auckland.

• Educational Species Guide: Information detailing the crucial role sharks play in marine ecosystems, as well as the real-world pressures facing New Zealand shark populations today.

  
  

Protecting New Zealand’s Ocean Apex Predators

New Zealand waters are home to roughly 70 species of sharks, playing an irreplaceable role in keeping our ocean ecosystems balanced. Yet, due to slow growth rates and late reproductive maturity, many local populations face significant threats from bycatch, habitat degradation, and negative public perception.

Through Sharks for Sharks, proceeds generated from every print sold go directly toward supporting grassroots marine conservation and vital shark protection projects across New Zealand. Funds help support key initiatives like satellite tagging, local habitat monitoring, and public education campaigns aimed at dispelling myths about these vital apex predators.

Where to Find Them

Keep an eye out for our Sharks for Sharks feature stalls during upcoming events like International Ocean Day, Shark Awareness Day, and Sea Week. Prints and framed artwork are also available in our main gift shop! Keep a close eye out on our social media for more information on where to find Rachel!

Every purchase directly contributes to keeping our oceans wild, healthy, and full of life. Next time you visit Kelly Tarlton’s, stop by to take home a real piece of marine history—and help us protect New Zealand’s sharks for generations to come.