Come and See a Nurse Shark at SEA LIFE Grapevine
Nurse sharks are slow-moving members of the Ginglymostomatidae family. They’re bottom-dwellers, commonly known as sleeper sharks, often found sleeping on the sandy bottom of the sea floor.
With their distinctive fleshy mustache (barbels) and social nature, you won’t want to miss this fascinating shark species at SEA LIFE Grapevine. Our nurse shark, Haggard, is the largest shark in our aquarium! Book your tickets to the SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium to see our nurse shark in real life.
Curious to learn more about this calm and collected species? Discover fin-tastic facts about the nurse shark below.
Nurse sharks typically eat bottom-dwelling creatures like fish, lobster, crabs, shrimp, squid, and snails. They’re known as ‘opportunistic carnivores,’ meaning they’ll eat animals if they’re easy to catch, but their diet can also include things like coral.
Their barbels help them find food while their rows of serrated teeth crush shelled prey. They also use a powerful suction method when hunting for prey. This makes a sucking sound that many suggest is where the name ‘nurse shark’ came from. While they’re pretty docile creatures, nurse sharks are known to suck up their prey at quite a speed.
A nurse shark's average size can range from 7.5 to 8 feet long. The largest nurse sharks reported are as big as 14 feet, almost double the size. They can also weigh up to 230 kg.
Female nurse sharks are also known to be slightly larger than males.
Nurse sharks usually live in the tropical and subtropical waters of the following locations:
- Eastern Pacific
- Western Atlantic
- Eastern Atlantic
They’re usually found in shallow waters in caves and coral reefs. They can also live for up to 30 years in the wild.
Nurse sharks are common within their habitat. However, certain groups of nurse sharks are endangered. For example, the grey nurse shark is one of the most critically endangered shark species. Shark finning is a huge contributor, although efforts are being made to protect against this and conserve threatened species.
Typically, nurse sharks aren’t aggressive to humans. There have been around 56 nurse shark attacks before 2022, 51 of these being provoked, while five were unprovoked.
Nurse sharks are often friendly, non-aggressive creatures. However, as with any animal, they may attack and cause harm if they feel threatened. Therefore, it’s vital to respect their space and avoid petting them if you spot them in the wild.
Fun Nurse Shark Facts
From their friendly nature to their unique physiology, there are so many nurse shark fun facts to explore.
- They suck! No seriously, nurse sharks come built-in with a powerful suction system, allowing them to hoover up their food (similar to a vacuum cleaner). Sometimes, a nurse shark might leave their mouth open for bottom-dwelling creatures to swim into.
- They’re nocturnal. Nurse sharks typically rest during the day, often in groups, then hunt alone at night.
- They can stop swimming. Some shark species need to keep moving to survive. The nurse shark is not one of these species. They can keep themselves oxygenated even when lying still, thanks to something called ‘buccal pumping’ where the cheek muscles draw water into the mouth and push it through the gills.
- Calm creatures. Nurse sharks are known to be docile, friendly creatures. While there’s a common misconception that these creatures are dangerous, they’re generally not aggressive to humans (unless they feel threatened).
- They’re social. Nurse sharks are often grouped together. As many as 40 nurse sharks have been found resting together on top of one another before!
- They come in different colors! Most adult nurse sharks are brown, but you could also find them in yellow or grey.
- The babies hatch inside Mom. Nurse sharks are ovoviviparous, meaning they hatch inside the mother. Once hatched, the nurse shark pups feed on the mother’s unfertilized eggs.
Explore Shark Experiences at SEA LIFE
Meet the amazing nurse shark (and other shark species) at SEA LIFE Grapevine! Come see Haggard the nurse shark (our biggest shark), other shark species like the leopard shark, rays, sea turtles, and more in our 360 degree ocean tunnel.
