a grey nurse shark and sandbar whaler sharks, along with up to 2,000 marine creatures of diverse species. Research and conservation Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium conducts extensive research into marine species, with the Aquarium's conservation efforts overseen by the Turtle Rehabilitation and Conservation of Keystone Species (T.R.A.C.K.S.) group, a subsidiary of the Sea Life Conservation Trust. Grey nurse sharks. Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is involved in a grey nurse shark breeding program in conjunction with Sea Life Manly Aquarium, aimed at conserving this endangered species, which is already extinct in Victoria. The Aquarium currently has one grey nurse shark and the program is looking at intra vitro fertilisation (IVF) as a method of breeding. Bamboo sharks. Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is home to the first-ever in-vitro fertilised (IVF) shark in existence. The brown-banded bamboo shark pup was born on 3 March 2014, ending a process which began in September when aquarists collected a semen sample from a shark in Mooloolaba in northeastern Australia. Sea turtles. The aquarium is also involved in the rehabilitation of turtles washed south into the colder Victorian waters where they cannot survive. The sea turtles are housed at the aquarium to gain strength, at which point they are taken north to Queensland to be released. Seadragons. Melbourne Aquarium is one of few worldwide to have successfully bred the locally-endemic weedy seadragon in captivity. Spotted Handfish. Sealife Melbourne Aquarium and its has been the first facility to successfully sex and breed the Tasmanian spotted handfish in captivity. Purple Spotted Gudgeon. The rainforest area has opened a facility to captively breed the Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon. Past attractions Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium formerly had a giant squid exhibit (frozen, not alive), which was moved to UnderWater World in Queensland. The Aquarium was also home to angler fish, the Japanese spider crab, jellyfish, blood sucking leeches, horseshoe crabs, venomous scorpions and tarantulas. Ownership In 2012, Merlin Entertainments, the global owner and operator of the Sea Life Centres brand as well as iconic brands such as Legoland and Madame Tussauds, purchased the Living and Leisure Group, then the owner-operators of the Melbourne Aquarium. In late 2013, after an extensive $8 million investment and redevelopment by Merlin Entertainments, the aquarium relaunched under the Sea Life brand, joining up to 100 Merlin-owned attractions worldwide. Gallery References External links Sea Life Centres Tourist attractions in Melbourne Aquaria in Australia 2000 establishments in Australia