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Shark Facts - Nurse Shark |
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Common name: Nurse Shark
Scientific Name: Ginglymostoma cirratum
Color: Yellowish gray
Average Size: Male - 7 feet, 11 inches; Female - 8 feet, 1 inch
Where They Live: Seabed, shallow inshore waters
Danger Level: Only attack humans if threatened
• Nurse sharks are slow and clumsy creatures. They do not move around as much as some sharks and are often found just lying on the seabed. Sometimes as many as thirty nurse sharks may be seen sleeping on top of each other. Nurse sharks are nocturnal. This means that they sleep during the day and are active only at night.
• Nurse sharks are yellowish gray on their backs. Young nurse sharks may have darker spots on their backs. Their undersides are lighter in color. Nurse sharks do not look as sleek as some of the other sharks. Their bodies are more rounded. The average size for a nurse shark is about 7 feet, 6 inches. Females are only a little bigger than the males.
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