ANIMALS | EXHIBITS | CONSERVATION

Nurse shark

Ginglymostoma cirratum

Species Information
Exhibit Name and Location Open Ocean–Main Aquarium, Level 1
Description of Animal Nurse sharks are light yellowish brown to dark brown, with or without small dark spots. The nurse shark has a flattened body and a broad, rounded head with two conspicuous barbels between the nostrils which are used to help find food. The mouth is filled with rows of small, serrated teeth for crushing hard-shelled prey. Generally slow and sluggish, nurse sharks spend much of their time resting on the ocean's bottom. Because this shark can pump water over its gills, it does not need to swim in order to breathe. If it must move, the nurse shark may even use its large front (or pectoral) fins to “walk” along the ocean floor. Unlike many sharks, this species is non-migratory—the nurse shark adapts to cold by becoming even less active! Females produce a litter of about 20-25 pups every other year.
Aquarist's Note Visitors often think this shark is in trouble when they see it lying on the bottom of the Open Ocean exhibit. If you overhear people commenting, explain that the shark is fine. Point out the movement of the gill slits as the shark pumps water over its gills to obtain oxygen. The Aquarium's sharks are being conditioned to touch a specific target to make it easier for aquarists to separate individuals from the group for routine physicals. The targets—with a square-, round- or doughnut-shaped symbol—are lowered into the water on long poles. When a shark touches the correct symbol, we reward it by feeding it a fish.
Diet Although they may appear sluggish, nurse sharks slurp up bottom dwelling, or benthic, organisms in their bellows-like mouths with amazing speed. They feed mostly at night on spiny lobsters and other crustaceans, small stingrays, sea urchins, squid, and bony fishes.
Size Female nurse sharks, averaging 7½ to 9 feet (2.2 to 2.7 m) and 165 to 230 pounds (75 to 105 kg), are slightly larger than their male counterparts. The estimated age at maturity for these animals is 18 years for males and 20 to 22 years for females.
Range Nurse sharks are common in tropical and subtropical coastal waters on both sides of North America. They are common in reefs and often rest during the day on sandy bottoms or in caves and crevices. Nurse sharks show a strong preference for certain resting sites, repeatedly returning to the same spot after their nocturnal forages.
Population Status Nurse sharks are common throughout their range and are not considered threatened or endangered.
Predators No species is known to regularly prey on nurse sharks, although they have been found in the stomach contents of lemon, tiger, bull, and great hammerhead sharks. Their meat is not generally found in fish markets, but in some areas they are caught and killed by fishermen because they are considered pests that raid bait intended for catching other species. Nurse sharks are collected alive for research and for display in public aquariums. They are also found in the pet trade, although they quickly outgrow any but the largest hobbyist tank!

Species Information

Exhibit Name and Location
Open Ocean–Main Aquarium, Level 1

Description of Animal

Nurse sharks are light yellowish brown to dark brown, with or without small dark spots.

The nurse shark has a flattened body and a broad, rounded head with two conspicuous barbels between the nostrils which are used to help find food.

The mouth is filled with rows of small, serrated teeth for crushing hard-shelled prey.

Generally slow and sluggish, nurse sharks spend much of their time resting on the ocean's bottom.

Because this shark can pump water over its gills, it does not need to swim in order to breathe.

If it must move, the nurse shark may even use its large front (or pectoral) fins to “walk” along the ocean floor.

Unlike many sharks, this species is non-migratory—the nurse shark adapts to cold by becoming even less active!

Females produce a litter of about 20-25 pups every other year.

Aquarist's Note

Visitors often think this shark is in trouble when they see it lying on the bottom of the Open Ocean exhibit.

If you overhear people commenting, explain that the shark is fine. Point out the movement of the gill slits as the shark pumps water over its gills to obtain oxygen.

The Aquarium's sharks are being conditioned to touch a specific target to make it easier for aquarists to separate individuals from the group for routine physicals.

The targets—with a square-, round- or doughnut-shaped symbol—are lowered into the water on long poles. When a shark touches the correct symbol, we reward it by feeding it a fish.

Diet

Although they may appear sluggish, nurse sharks slurp up bottom dwelling, or benthic, organisms in their bellows-like mouths with amazing speed.

They feed mostly at night on spiny lobsters and other crustaceans, small stingrays, sea urchins, squid, and bony fishes.

Size

Female nurse sharks, averaging 7½ to 9 feet (2.2 to 2.7 m) and 165 to 230 pounds (75 to 105 kg), are slightly larger than their male counterparts.

The estimated age at maturity for these animals is 18 years for males and 20 to 22 years for females.

Range

Nurse sharks are common in tropical and subtropical coastal waters on both sides of North America.

They are common in reefs and often rest during the day on sandy bottoms or in caves and crevices.

Nurse sharks show a strong preference for certain resting sites, repeatedly returning to the same spot after their nocturnal forages.

Population Status

Nurse sharks are common throughout their range and are not considered threatened or endangered.

Predators

No species is known to regularly prey on nurse sharks, although they have been found in the stomach contents of lemon, tiger, bull, and great hammerhead sharks.

Their meat is not generally found in fish markets, but in some areas they are caught and killed by fishermen because they are considered pests that raid bait intended for catching other species.

Nurse sharks are collected alive for research and for display in public aquariums.

They are also found in the pet trade, although they quickly outgrow any but the largest hobbyist tank!