Whatshot

2026
2025
November
2024
June
April
2023
March
2022
2021
2020
March
February
2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2016
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2015
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2014
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2013
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2012
December
November
October
September
August
July

uShaka

uShaka

Date: 2014-04-11
Jimmy, the 2.18m Bowmouth Guitarfish Jimmy, the 2.18m Bowmouth Guitarfish is the latest new arrival to the Aquarium being introduced to the Open Ocean Exhibit on the 28th March 2014. Within minutes of arrival at uShaka Sea World's rehabilitation centre it was evident the strikingly beautiful creatures name choice could be none other than Jimmy after Jimmy Hendricks, the greatest guitarist of all time. Our Jimmy is certainly the greatest Guitarfish of all time.

Although uncommon, bowmouth guitarfish are widely distributed in coastal tropical waters of the western Indo-Pacific. They are strong swimmers and are most active at night .Local angler Kyle Smith caught Jimmy off the beach in front of the Durban Skiboat club at midnight on the 30th January 2014 and immediately called one of the uShaka Sea World staff who collected him and placed him in the Rehabilitation Centre overnight to recover.

Kyle set a new South African shore angling record for this species as the previous record was 36.0kg and Jimmy topped the scales at 87.6kg's.

Bowmouth Guitarfish are highly distinctive in appearance with a wide having a wide and thick body with a rounded snout and large shark-like dorsal and tail fins with multiple thorny ridges over its head and back. Bowmouth Guitarfish usually feed on benthic fish such as sole, crustaceans and molluscs, although some studies have shown these predators to feed on pelagic rather than demersal animals. Jimmy has a gentle disposition and readily approached the quarantine staff to take food from them once he started to feed. Besides being powerfully built and good looking he proved easy to work with and quickly learned to respond to and identify a "target" held in the water as a food signal. Before he could be introduced to the Open Ocean Exhibit staff needed to be sure they could monitor his feeding and the only way of doing so would be to feed him apart from the rest of the fish and rays. Luckily Bowmouth guitarfish are quick learners and it took Jimmy only a month to figure out the benefits of responding to his target - he certainly is a lot smarter than some mammals.

Before being introduced to the other Open Ocean inhabitants, which include Kevin, a smaller Bowmouth guitarfish, Jimmy was micro-chipped and blood samples were taken. The International Union for conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed the bowmouth guitarfish as vulnerable because it is widely caught by artisanal and commercial fisheries for fins and meat. Their fins are used in shark fin soup and the meat is sold either fresh, dried or salted.

Next time you visit the Aquarium make sure you look out for Jimmy and if time permits ask one of the staff in Blue Shirts what time Jimmy is being fed and try to include his feed time on your itinerary.