California study finds sharks kept playing with toys after meals, and one napped on a toy

A study at a California aquarium is prompting a rethink of the usual view of sharks as little more than nonstop hunters.

Across several species, these sharks kept coming back to toys and floating objects after meals, and one horn shark even turned a set of orange hoops into a place to nap.

What happened?

Research published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science has indicated that sharks and rays may use toys for reasons not limited to feeding.

The study took place over 12 weeks at Southern California's Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, where biologists Autumn Smith and Patrick Sun tracked how captive animals responded to enrichment objects.

According to AOL, the team offered floating and sinking toys to 13 captive animals from four species: horn sharks, swell sharks, leopard sharks, and a California skate. Smith began the project after noticing that many of the aquarium's sharks and rays remained motionless for long periods and suspecting they might not be getting enough stimulation.

As the weeks passed, the animals became much more engaged, swimming through hoops, carrying objects on their noses, flicking toys with their tails, and gently biting them, AOL reported.

Some sharks also interacted with the toys in ways resembling hunting behavior, such as rushing toward a plastic squid before veering away at the last second. One horn shark, Bud, showed a particular preference for orange hoops and was even observed sleeping on top of them.

The toys were placed in the exhibit an hour before feeding, removed during mealtime, and returned 30 minutes after eating so researchers could compare behavior before and after they ate. The sharks' interest stood out even more because toy use increased after feeding, suggesting the animals were not mainly motivated by hunger.

Why does it matter?

That pattern challenges the long-held idea that sharks are guided only by appetite and instinct.

Instead, the results point to curiosity, preference, and individual differences in animals that are often reduced to a much simpler image.

If sharks and rays benefit from mental stimulation, then aquariums and other managed environments may need to think more carefully about enrichment, not just food and space. 

Typically, enrichment programs have been common for mammals and birds, but fish were often excluded since scientists had assumed they weren't intelligent enough to benefit from toys or puzzles. This study challenges that assumption. 

Interest varied by species: leopard sharks were especially active, reaching as many as 120 toy interactions per hour, while others showed lower levels of engagement.

Color mattered as well, with yellow and orange toys attracting more attention than red ones and challenging the common notion that sharks are especially drawn to red.

The finding adds to researchers' understanding of how these animals perceive and engage with their surroundings.

The study also suggests wildlife is often far more complex than movie myths and common public perceptions would suggest.

Seeing sharks as curious animals rather than one-dimensional predators could also influence thinking about conservation and humane care.

What's being done?

Aquariums are testing enrichment more intentionally.

This study suggests that adding toys and novel objects can reveal behaviors that standard enclosures might otherwise miss, giving caretakers new ways to support animal welfare.

Researchers are also paying closer attention to differences between species and how individual sharks respond, as a one-size-fits-all approach may overlook what specific animals actually enjoy or benefit from.

The study also suggests that asking better questions can change what researchers notice. Rather than assuming a still shark is simply inactive, scientists can now explore whether it may need more stimulation, more variety, or a different kind of environment.

What first looked like a simple toy experiment showed that sharks and rays may be more curious, expressive, and individual than many people realize.

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