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nurse

nurse shark

Nurse shark

Ginglymostoma cirratum

  • Location: coastal tropical and sub-tropical waters in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific

  • Size: between 2.2m and 2.7m

  • Weight: between 75kg and 105kg

  • Number of attacks: 43 reported attacks including nine unprovoked

  • Danger ranking: 8

    The nurse shark clings to shallow sand flats, channels and coral reefs where they feed on bottom-dwelling creatures such as spiny lobsters, crabs, squid, snails and sea urchins as well as fishes including stingrays and puffers.

    They have demonstrated a strong preference to particular resting sites and return to the same caves after their nocturnal antics. They are normally docile creatures and will swim away when approached, but when nurse sharks have attacked their strong bite can inflict serious injury and sometimes the jaws have only been removed with the aid of surgical instruments.

    The meat of a nurse shark is edible but they are hunted mainly for their skin which makes tough and durable leather. Although they have no regular predators, remains of nurse sharks have been found in the stomachs of tiger sharks and lemon sharks, and attacks by bulls sharks and great hammerhead sharks have been witnessed.

    Related links:

    IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    MarineBio.org
    International Shark Attack File

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