Nurse Sharks and Lemon Sharks from above, in the crystal clear waters of the Exuma Cays.
Nurse Sharks are incredibly beautiful and are extremely important to the delicate marine ecosystem. During daylight hours, they are seen in groups as large as 40 individuals. While in these groups, they usually remain hidden under submerged ledges and around reefs. Scientists believe they stay in these groups for protection purposes, and that they don’t have any hierarchy. At night, they become more active, but also more solitary, wandering the waters alone. They can reach 15 feet in length, weigh up to 330 pounds, and live up to 35 years. While most fish, including sharks, must move constantly in order to breathe, Nurse Sharks can remain motionless while resting on the seafloor by facing against the flow of water and pumping the water through their gills. They catch their prey (fish, squid, snails, crustaceans, mollusks) from the sea floor by sucking their prey into their mouths.
They are completely harmless and are one of my absolute favorite fish. The threat to humans is ZERO. There have only been a few attacks ever recorded, and only one of those attacks was unprovoked. No fatal attacks have ever been recorded.