Nurse Sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) prefer to scour the bottom of the ocean searching for food and hiding in coral reefs. These medium-sized sharks are typically around eight feet long and weigh between 165 and 230 pounds. Their nasal barbels, whisker-like appendages that hang beside their nostrils, are among the nurse shark’s more recognizable features. These barbels help nurse sharks detect prey and obstacles. So, what sort of prey do these sea creatures detect with their barbels? Let’s dive into the dietary habits of nurse sharks.
How do nurse sharks eat?
The nasal barbels, located beside the nurse shark’s nostrils, are sensory organs that help nurse sharks detect prey.
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Before we discuss what nurse sharks eat, let’s discover how they eat. When they are eating, nurse sharks resemble vacuum cleaners. Nurse sharks have a powerful suction method of feeding that allows them to suck up their food. The food passes through several rows of teeth and then is fully digested in the stomach.
How do nurse sharks hunt?
A tawny nurse shark hunts for prey.
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Nurse sharks live in the Western Atlantic Ocean and the Eastern Pacific Ocean near the shoreline, which is where they hunt. As nocturnal feeders, nurse sharks prey on small fish that are resting. They will also sometimes lie very still with their snout up to create a seemingly safe place for other sea life to hide, like crabs and clams. Another hunting technique nurse sharks employ involves flipping over conch shells and sucking the snail out of its shell.
What do nurse sharks eat?
As unappetizing as they may appear, nurse sharks will eat sea urchins.
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Nurse sharks are opportunistic hunters who are primarily carnivorous. Their diet consists of snails, crabs, clams, and small fish. Nurse sharks also eat stingrays, squid, octopuses, and sea urchins. Scientists have found algae and ground coral in their stomachs as well, but it is thought these were ingested incidentally while sucking up other nutritional food. Because they often hunt near the shoreline, they sometimes get lucky and find a stash of fishermen’s bait.
Nurse Shark Prey: A Complete List
- Crustaceans
- Mollusks
- Stingrays
- Conchs
- Squid
- Sea Urchins
- Octopuse
- Clams
- Crabs
- Small Fish
- Sea Snails
- Algae
- Ground Coral
- Fisherman’s Bait
Are nurse sharks dangerous to humans?
What should you do if you see a nurse shark while swimming? Probably nothing. Nurse sharks are generally not aggressive and pose little threat to humans, but they can bite if provoked or disturbed. The few incidents where humans have been bitten have been caused by humans irritating the sharks while the sharks were minding their own business. So steer clear of them, and they should leave you alone, too.
