Sharks
Nurse Shark
Ginglymostoma cirratum · Cartilaginous fish — family Ginglymostomatidae
The nurse shark is the Caribbean's resident couch dweller: a heavy-bodied, small-eyed animal the color of wet sand, folded under a ledge with its barbels drooping and its tail poking into the current. It can pump water over its gills while motionless, so entire dives pass while it does precisely nothing — then a night dive reveals the other nurse shark, nosing urgently through coral and inhaling octopus with an audible thump. At Belize's Shark Ray Alley and Bahamian feed sites they swarm like eager dogs. Its mellow reputation is deserved, right up until someone grabs one.
Où et quand en observer un
« Résident » signifie que la plupart des plongées sur ce site permettent de les observer ; « saisonnier » signifie qu'ils sont présents de manière fiable durant les mois indiqués ; tout le reste est un bonus, pas une certitude.
| Destination | Fiabilité | Mois | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CozumelMexico | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année | |
| Belize Barrier ReefBelize | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année | |
| Florida KeysUnited States | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année | |
| Grand CaymanCayman Islands | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année | |
| Nassau & New ProvidenceThe Bahamas | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année |
Meilleur mois, en un coup d'œil
Les comprendre
Habitat: Reefs, ledges, mangrove channels, and seagrass flats; rests by day under overhangs, often in piles
Aire de répartition: Tropical western Atlantic from Florida and the Bahamas to Brazil, plus the eastern Pacific coast of the Americas; the similar tawny nurse shark replaces it in the Indo-Pacific
Comportement: A sedentary, nocturnal bottom-dweller with barbels like a catfish and a tail that trails behind it lazily. Days are spent wedged beneath ledges, frequently stacked on other nurse sharks; nights are spent slurping prey out of holes. Habituated animals at feed sites become boldly food-focused.
Régime alimentaire: Crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish vacuumed off the bottom with a powerful suction feed you can sometimes hear
Taille: généralement autour de 2.3 m; documenté jusqu'à 3.1 m (total length).
Comment se comporter avec lui
No tail-pulling, no riding, no lifting resting animals for photos — behavior once common and now rightly banned. Give resting sharks their ledge and keep bait well managed at feed sites.
Conservation
Moved to Vulnerable in 2020 as inshore fishing and habitat loss eroded populations outside protected areas; still locally abundant in Florida, the Bahamas, and Belize.
Sites répertoriés connus pour leur présence
Regarder
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Les vidéos sont des liens intégrés vers les chaînes de leurs créateurs — nous n'hébergeons rien et créditons tout.