[ad_1]
Nurse sharks look a lot like the sharks you know, but you won’t see their fin ominously slicing through the ocean surface. They prefer to scour the ocean floor in search of food and take refuge in coral reefs. The unique facial feature is what looks like fangs hanging down either side of the muzzle, but in fact these harmless features are nasal tendrils used to sense or taste objects on the ocean floor. Can you imagine swimming with your tongue out on the sandy bottom of the ocean? Something like that! Let’s find out what nurse sharks eat!
How do nurse sharks eat?
Before we discuss what kind nurse sharks eat we need to learn how eat nurse sharks, it is very unique. These sharks are like vacuum cleaners, they have a powerful suction system that allows them to suck in food. Food passes through several rows of teeth and is completely digested in the stomach.
How do nurse sharks hunt?
Nurse sharks are found in the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific, where they can be found close to the hunting coastline. Since they are nocturnal, they often hunt small fish resting. Sometimes they also lie very still with their muzzles raised to create a safe place for other marine life such as crabs and shellfish. They then surprise them with their powerful suction for dinner. Another way to hunt is to turn the shells over and suck the snail out of the shell with their suction and teeth.
What do nurse sharks eat?
In addition to snails, crabs, shellfish and small fish, nanny sharks also eat stingrays, squid, octopus and sea urchins. Scientists also found algae and crushed corals in their stomachs, but it is believed that they were part of the absorption of other nutritious foods. Since they often hunt near the coastline, they sometimes get lucky and find bait for the fisherman (luck is for sharks, not fishermen!).
In short, nurse sharks are adapted hunters who eat meat. Their main food is snails, crabs, shellfish and small fish.
Full list of what nurse sharks eat:
- Crustaceans
- Molluscs
- Stingrays
- Sinks
- Squid
- Sea urchins
- Octopus
- Molluscs
- Crabs
- Small fish
- Sea snails
- Seaweed
- Earth Coral
- Fisherman’s bait!
What does the nurse shark eat?
There are no nurse shark predators. Occasionally there have been incidents where a larger shark, such as a tiger shark, ate a nurse shark.
How much do nurse sharks eat?
Since nurse sharks spend most of their time gliding slowly along the ocean floor or sleeping, they require very little food to maintain their energy.
Who is competing with nurse sharks for food?
Since there are many other fish that prefer a shallow ocean floor, there are competitors for the fish, squid, shellfish and shrimp that surround them. Summer flounder is one of those bottom-dwelling fish looking for the same diet. Bone fish can be found in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Florida, in the same areas as nurse sharks, in search of bony fish.
Are nurse sharks dangerous to humans?
What if you see a nurse shark while swimming? Probably nothing. They are known to be harmless to humans. Several incidents in which people were bitten were caused by people annoying sharks while the sharks went about their business. So stay away from them and they should leave you alone too.
[ad_2]
Source link