Nurse Shark
[ Ginglymostoma cirratum ]
Quick Facts
| BODY LENGTH: |
female: 7.5 to 9 feet (males slightly smaller) |
| WEIGHT: |
female: 165 to 230 pounds (males slightly smaller) |
| WILD DIET: |
crustaceans, mollusks, and other fishes
|
| ZOO DIET: |
|
| DISTRIBUTION: |
western Atlantic from Rhode Island down to southern Brazil; in the Eastern Atlantic from Cameroon to Gabon; Eastern Pacific from southern Baja California to Peru; and around the islands of the Caribbean |
| HABITAT: |
reefs, channels between mangrove islands, and sand flats |
Friends and Foes
Table for 40, please
Nurse sharks tend to seek out caves or crevices in their reef habitat and hang out in groups of up to 40 individuals. While resting, they have been observed with their bodies on the ground, supported by their fins. This position seems to create a sort of false shelter for crustaceans and other animals to hide out. These smaller creatures often get ambushed by the nurse sharks, though, and become fast food favorites.
Water birth
Nurse sharks are ovoviviparous—meaning that their eggs hatch and develop inside their body. Young nurse sharks are born into the water, after about six months gestation. The litter can consist of 21 to 28 pups.
Nurse sharks at Brookfield Zoo
Stingray Bay is home to a group of nurse sharks at Brookfield Zoo. The visiting exhibit, which will stay open during the summer of 2008, swims away on Labor Day. So, don’t miss your chance to get an intimate look at these amazing animals.
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