At a Glance
The Shorttail Nurse Shark lives in coral reefs in the Western Indian Ocean. It was once commonly found living on reefs from Tanzania, Kenya and Madagascar, but is now Critically Endangered largely due to artisanal fishing.
This small nurse shark only reaches about 75 centimeters (30 inches) long. Scientists are still trying to learn more about its behavior and ecology, and there have been very few sightings of the species in the wild during the past 15 years. In 2021, scientists confirmed for the first time that the shark’s range included Mozambique, which extended its known range by about 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles), and additional sightings have expanded its range even further, now including Sodwana and iSimangaliso Wetland Park in South Africa.
The species is one of the few nurse sharks to lay eggs, and it is especially adapted to its coral reef habitat; it can survive out of the water for several hours. If it finds itself stranded on an exposed coral reef, it can survive until the next high tide. The health of the coral reefs that the nurse shark depends on is another reason why the species is Critically Endangered. As coral reefs become stressed from warming oceans and pollution, they are less able to support species like the Shorttail Nurse Shark.
Scientists estimate that Shorttail Nurse Shark populations have declined by about 80% during the past 30 years. There are very few areas in its range where fishing is prohibited, which means there are not many areas where it can breed and recover. No Shortail Nurse Sharks were sighted during recent surveys in Tanzania, Mozambique and Madagascar.
At a glance
Taxa
Sharks and Rays
Geography
Western Indian Ocean
Status
Critically Endangered
Habitat
Coral reefs
Estimated Population
Unknown
Threats
rtisanal fishing; bycatch in industrial fisheries; coral reef degradation from blast fishing coral mining and climate change
Potential Recovery Actions
Coral reef protection; marine protected areas; fisheries restrictions; conservation breeding; population reinforcement
