Nurse Shark

Nurse Shark

To spot a Nurse Shark, look for the shark with the funny moustache! These dangley bits on their top lip are actually useful things called barbels. Barbels are covered in taste buds and are very sensitive, helping the Nurse Shark to find food hidden in the sandy seabed.

Most sharks must keep moving to breath because they need water to flow over their gills, but Nurse Sharks can stop swimming and rest. That's because they can pump water through their mouths and gills while they're sitting still.

In the ocean Nurse Sharks can gather in groups of up to 40. They hide together under submerged ledges around coral reefs, often piled up on top of each other. At night they become more active and venture out on their own to prey on sea snails, crustaceans, molluscs and other small fish.

In our amazing ‘Pacific Shipwreck’ you can see these amazing creatures in action.