I am not sure that the nurse sharks along eastern shores in Abaco are aware that lobster season is closed right now. For part of the coral restoration project we record the fish communities along our artificial reefs to catch a glimpse of the fish that might not be present when we are doing snorkel surveys. Well, today was a definite case where we would have missed out on a really exciting event. The past two weeks I have noticed that a few cinderblocks from the reefs have been moved around; more than what a storm could do. I had no idea what was doing it until this lovely video: a hungry nurse shark! Please enjoy this video above of this girl’s attempt at lunch.

Quick Facts

The Nurse Shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum, is typically a nocturnal predator that is known to predate on fish, molluscs (e.g. clams) and crustaceans like the spiny lobster. You can spot an individual roaming alone or you might see up to 40 together. They are often found in nearshore environments, making them easy for us to spot while boating, snorkeling, or fishing. While they can grow quite large (up to 9ft!), nurse sharks are typically non-aggressive and a safe site to observe while outdoors. Be sure to keep an eye out for these beautiful predators.