nurse shark

While diving at a depth of 70 feet on a wall at Tubbataha reef, several divers in our group disturbed a seven-foot nurse shark while it was resting in a hidden cavern. I caught this image as it emerged and gracefully swam away.

Nurse sharks in particular are popular with divers because of their gentle dispositions and tolerance for touching. Their skin feels like sandpaper, and their flesh is firm to the touch. Though nurse sharks are among the least dangerous of all commonly encountered sharks, they do have teeth and are capable of inflicting a nasty bite if provoked.

Identification: Ginglymostoma cirratum (?)


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