Taxonomy
An elasmobranch in the family Ginglymostomatidae; scientific name Ginglymostoma cirratum.
Photo byWouter Naert
Species Guide
What to know about nurse sharks
A clean field guide focused on habitat, identification, behavior, and conservation context without burying the useful parts.
The nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is an elasmobranch fish in the family Ginglymostomatidae. It is globally assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, though regional assessments vary: considered Least Concern in the United States and The Bahamas, and Near Threatened in the western Atlantic due to vulnerability in parts of South America and reported threats across Central America and the Caribbean. Nurse sharks are directly targeted by some fisheries and taken as by-catch in others. They are robust animals that tolerate capture, handling, and tagging well. Despite a calm, sedentary appearance, nurse sharks are involved in documented bites on humans and rank fourth in recorded shark bite incidents, likely linked to incautious human behavior around them.
Globally Vulnerable per IUCN; regional assessments vary with Least Concern in the United States and The Bahamas and Near Threatened status in parts of the western Atlantic due to localized vulnerabilities and reported threats.
Typically calm and sedentary.
The strongest linked planning options currently surface around destinations such as Caye Caulker, San Pedro (Ambergris Caye), Belize, Carriacou (Tyrrel Bay) and countries such as Grenada, Belize, Dominican Republic for divers building trips around nurse sharks.
