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Nurse Shark & Nurse Shark Pictures
Shark size: The average size of a Nurse shark is around 2.5m (8.5ft) and the average weight is around 100kg (220lbs). Females are generally larger than females. Size at birth is around 30cm (12in). Habitat: The nurse shark is nocturnal and rests on sandy bottoms or in caves in shallow waters during the day. They occasionally occur in groups of up to 30-40 individuals, as they lie very close together sometimes even piling upon one another. Nurse sharks show a strong preference for resting sites, and repeatedly return to the same places after nocturnal activity. Juveniles up to 1.8m (6 ft) are generally found around shallow coral reefs, grass flats or mangrove islands in 1-4 meters (3-13 ft) of water. They often lie in groups within limestone solution holes or under rock ledges. Nurse sharks are very active during the night, when they do their feeding. Large juveniles and adults are usually found around deeper reefs and rocky areas at depths of up to 75m (250 ft) during the daytime and migrate into shallower waters of less than 20 meters (70 ft) deep after darkness. Locations: Nurse Sharks are most common in the Atlantic and in the eastern Pacific, in coastal tropical and sub-tropical waters. Reported from Senegal to Gabon, Rhode Island to Southern Brazil, and Mexico to Peru. Nurse sharks have also been spotted off the south coast of France, but sightings are rare and numbers are low. The Nurse prefers shallow and warm waters. The highest concentration of Nurse sharks is in the West Indies, south Florida and the Florida Keys.
Feeding: A nocturnal predator, the nurse shark feeds mainly on fish, stingrays, octopus, squids, clams and crustaceans. The nurse shark has small mouth, but its large, bellows-like pharynx allows it to suck in food items at high speed. This system allows the species to prey on small fish that are resting at on the sea floor and in caves at night. Behavior: Nurse sharks spend their day resting on the sea floor and their night searching for food. They're generally a timid shark, that will often swim away when approached by humans. Nurses have been known to be more aggressive at night, when they have more energy and are searching for food. While Nurse sharks hunt alone at night, they often spend the day laying near other Nurse sharks on the sea floor or in caves. It's not uncommon for several Nurse sharks to occupy the same cave. Nurse sharks will attack with a vice like jaw grip if threatened or backed into a corner. Diving with Nurse sharks: Nurse sharks are generally a gentle shark which mostly swims away when approached by humans. This makes them perfect for open water shark diving. There have been some reported cases of unprovoked on swimmers, but these are rare. Nurse sharks can often be found on sandy ocean floors resting during the day. Nurse sharks are often found at water depths of less than 20m so divers can experience these sharks with an open water qualification. Some larger Nurse sharks prefer deeper reefs and shelves up to 70m, this will require a advanced open water certification or higher. Places to see: Nurse shark diving is very popular in the shallow waters around West Indies, south Florida and the Florida Keys. Many companies in the Gulf and Caribbean run excursions to see Nurse sharks. Nurse sharks have also been spotted many times off the south west coast of France, however find them on a dive is often quite hard.
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