Nurse Shark

The nurse shark is a slow-moving, bottom-dwelling shark in the family Ginglymostomatidae.

The nurse shark is a slow-moving, bottom-dwelling shark in the family Ginglymostomatidae. It is a common species in warm, shallow coastal waters of the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific, where it feeds mainly on bottom-dwelling animals such as crustaceans and mollusks.

Description

Nurse sharks are large, stocky sharks belonging to the family Ginglymostomatidae (carpet sharks). They have a broad head, rounded snout, and rounded dorsal and pectoral fins. Adults are usually brown to yellowish-tan, while young may be more spotted. Adults commonly reach about 7.5 to 9 feet (2.3–2.7 m) in length, with females typically larger than males.

Habitat and range

Nurse sharks inhabit warm, shallow marine habitats such as coral reefs, rocky areas, mangroves, seagrass flats, and sandy bottoms. Their range includes the western Atlantic, eastern Atlantic, and eastern Pacific, typically in tropical and subtropical coastal waters.

Feeding and behaviour

Nurse sharks are nocturnal bottom feeders that often rest on the seafloor during the day. They use suction to capture prey from crevices and substrate. Their diet includes crustaceans, mollusks, small fish, squid, octopus, and stingrays.

Reproduction and life history

Nurse sharks give birth to live young after a relatively short gestation period. Litters typically consist of roughly 20 to 50 pups. Females are generally larger than males. The lifespan of nurse sharks is up to about 24 to 25 years.