Short-tail Nurse shark

About the Short-tail Nurse shark

The Short-tail nurse shark is an inshore bottom-dwelling shark found in shallow water and reefs Tropical waters. These sharks are native to the Western Indian Oceans commonly found around East Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar and possibly Mauritius and Seychelles. They are at risk due to heavy inshore artisanal fisheries. Finning is also an issue as the fins of these sharks are known to fetch moderate prices. They are also threatened by the destruction of its coral reef habitats.

Biology:

The short-tail nurse shark has an elongated body and a rounded stomach which dark brownish grey top and a paler underside. The max length of a Short-tail nurse shark is about 75.0cm/2 ft 5.5 in. The lifespan of this species is not fully known but they are estimated to live over 30 years.

Reproduction:

Their reproductive cycle is not fully understood, but they’re known to be oviparous, meaning they lay eggs. .

Behaviour

The Short-tail nurse shark has been known to survive for many hours out of the water. They are also very well adapted to lie amongst coral reefs due to its tough skin.

The species was reportedly abundant in the 1970s, and was still common in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Very few records have been reported in the last 10–15 years, and no sightings are reported from extensive shallow reef underwater visual census surveys in Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar. Heavy and increasing artisanal fishing pressure exists across the species’ range. This species is susceptible to capture in a wide variety of artisanal and industrial fishing gears, including ringnets, gillnets, handlines, traps, longlines, and trawls. It is also targeted with spearguns by artisanal fishers. It is caught as a target species in some areas and as bycatch in a wide variety of gears. The species has no refuge from fishing, and its coral reef habitat is threatened by degradation and loss. It is suspected that the Shorttail Nurse Shark has undergone a population reduction of at least 80% over the past three generations (estimated at 30 years) due to a decline in habitat quality and actual and potential levels of exploitation. Therefore, this species is assessed as Critically Endangered A2cd. The Shorttail Nurse Shark is utilized locally for meat, and is typically salted or dried. The skin of this species is tough and is possibly used for leather. Jaws are sold locally to tourists. Currently there are no species-specific conservation measures or protections in place for the Shorttail Nurse Shark.

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Short-tail Nurse shark Gallery