Nurse sharks
Nurse shark
Ginglymostoma cirratum
A broad-headed, bottom-dwelling shark that often rests during the day and searches the seafloor for food at night.
View recent sightings
Every figure uses the same scale. The shark image is shown at the species’ published maximum length; individual animals vary.
Shallow reefs, sandy bottoms, grass flats, mangroves, caves, and rocky crevices.
Warm western Atlantic waters from the northeastern United States through the Caribbean and to Brazil.
Juveniles often 3–13 ft; adults commonly 10–246 ft
Fish, stingrays, octopus, squid, clams, and crustaceans.
Rounded fins, very small eyes, and a pair of sensory barbels beside the mouth.
Live-bearing after eggs hatch inside the mother; litters commonly contain 20–30 pups.
Species facts
Did you know?
It can use suction to pull prey from crevices.
Individuals often return to the same daytime resting sites.