Are nurse sharks known to keep a den (home) that it always returns to?
Nurse shark home?
- Thread starter Fastmarc
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OP
I ask because we found one that seems to 'rest' in this particular coral cave. For this reason we always end our dive there. We do not see it on every dive and we haven't seen any other sharks in the area.
This has been going on for about 2 years now.
This has been going on for about 2 years now.
almitywife
Vegemite Mod
in sydney we have a couple of regular grey nurse shark populations that hang out at the same caves at the same time each year
cheers
cheers
OP
... so, maybe a 'yes' then.
No, it's just that your particular shark may prefer to hang out in that one spot within its home range. Other nurse sharks commonly may not. It's really a function of the nurse shark's size, the availability of suitable daytime resting spots, and the individual shark's er... personality.
Bigger nurse sharks have a harder time finding places to snug down for the day than do smaller ones.
Bigger nurse sharks have a harder time finding places to snug down for the day than do smaller ones.
emcbride81
Contributor
Speaking of the nurse shark...I have heard that they can be almost docile...allowing a human to scratch under their pec fins. Now, I will never disturb underwater nature, but how tame are they? I have only seen one and it shot out of a honeycombed shelf coral like a torpedo and didn't look back.
almitywife
Vegemite Mod
the rules down here is do not touch!
they are a protected & endagered species and if anyone is caught blocking their exit from the caves, touching them or entering their caves there is a pretty fast outcry from the local community and a please explain
only last week my own lds emailed every one of its club members with a code of conduct reminder; http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/species/sharks/greynurse/code.html
cheers
they are a protected & endagered species and if anyone is caught blocking their exit from the caves, touching them or entering their caves there is a pretty fast outcry from the local community and a please explain
only last week my own lds emailed every one of its club members with a code of conduct reminder; http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/species/sharks/greynurse/code.html
cheers
DavidPT40
Contributor
I heard a strange but true story of a diver that grabbed a nurse shark by its tail. The shark was laying in a cave. It then spun around and bit the diver directly on his neck. The diver survived as none of the wounds punctured major vessels.
If it is the Atlantic Nurse Shark most people are referring to (not the unrelated Pacific ones), yes they are docile and can typically be touched/petted.
Stay away from their entire head region, and don't pull their tails. Otherwise you'll seriously regret it. You can look up oodles of posts on scubaboard (or the internet as a whole) on what happens when nurse sharks bite you. Both to you... and the shark.
I usually *work up* my biology students towards encounters with Atlantic Nurse Sharks. I've found the critters are "one step up" from big stingrays in regards to how they're approached and handled.
Stay away from their entire head region, and don't pull their tails. Otherwise you'll seriously regret it. You can look up oodles of posts on scubaboard (or the internet as a whole) on what happens when nurse sharks bite you. Both to you... and the shark.
I usually *work up* my biology students towards encounters with Atlantic Nurse Sharks. I've found the critters are "one step up" from big stingrays in regards to how they're approached and handled.
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