Visitors to a New Zealand oceanarium watched in astonishment when one shark tore a chunk out of another's stomach. But they were even more astonished when four baby sharks tumbled out of the gaping wound.

Staff at Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World in Auckland had no idea the female shark was pregnant until visitors came running to tell them about the impromptu Caesarean section.

Initially sceptical, they found the mother with a large cut and four little sharks swimming around.

The oceanarium's aquarist Fiona Davies said it was not uncommon for sharks to chomp on each other, even in the wild.

But she had never heard of an incident like this. “It (the midwife shark) had to bite a certain part to let them (the babies) out, and do it without killing them or her (the mother),” she explained.

Ms Davies said the unusual delivery had probably saved the baby sharks' lives. If the mother had given birth naturally, most likely at night, the babies would have been eaten by adult sharks and stingrays before staff could rescue them.

Staff at the aquarium removed the babies from the tank - before they could be eaten. The mother was also removed with another four babies inside her. All eight babies survived.

Belfast Telegraph