Species Type:
Sharks & Rays
Common Name(s):
Nurse shark
Size:
These sharks grow to be 7.5 to 8 feet (2.3-2.4 meters) and 200 pounds (91 kilograms) on average.
Diet:
Nurse sharks hang out on the ocean floor, hiding in the sand and preying on any bottom dwelling creatures that cross its path. This includes sea urchins, fish, lobsters, crabs, squid and stingrays.
Range & Habitat:
Nurse sharks can be found in sandy bottoms, caves and reef communities in the coastal waters of the Atlantic and eastern Pacific Ocean.
Details:
Nurse sharks range from yellow-tan to brown, blending into the sandy ocean floor. They have two sensory barbels near their mouths, helping them detect prey in the sand. Unlike many sharks, their small, serrated teeth don’t overlap, allowing them to crush shellfish and small fish. Nurse sharks can pump water over their gills while resting, so they don’t need to swim constantly to breathe.