The Grey Nurse Shark
Quick notes on the grey nurse sharks:
- Large, stout bodies, a pointed snout with lots of teeth
- Small eyes
- Scary features = harmless, no threat to humans
- Relaxed personality
- Live in swallow waters
- Prefer more sandy beaches = no rocks
- Live in 2 areas (eastern & western)
- More active at night time
- Male & female mature at 2.2m
- Reach a total length of 3.6m
- Suffering endangerment over the years
- Eastern population listed critically endangered = low 300 left
- Been commercially fished in the years = rapid decline
- Habitat is predominately around fishing areas
- Accidental capturing and killing
- Sharks end up on hooks and lines
- Swimming beaches w/ nets lead to sharks getting stuck
- Communities helped prevent deaths
- Research has begun to help
- WWF is fundraising and teach young kids
- Large, stout bodies, a pointed snout with lots of teeth
- Small eyes
- Scary features = harmless, no threat to humans
- Relaxed personality
- Live in swallow waters
- Prefer more sandy beaches = no rocks
- Live in 2 areas (eastern & western)
- More active at night time
- Male & female mature at 2.2m
- Reach a total length of 3.6m
- Suffering endangerment over the years
- Eastern population listed critically endangered = low 300 left
- Been commercially fished in the years = rapid decline
- Habitat is predominately around fishing areas
- Accidental capturing and killing
- Sharks end up on hooks and lines
- Swimming beaches w/ nets lead to sharks getting stuck
- Communities helped prevent deaths
- Research has begun to help
- WWF is fundraising and teach young kids
Endangered animals table:
Appearance
Grey nurse sharks have large, stout bodies, a pointed snout with many rows of visible teeth and very small little eyes. The sharks are bronzed colour and the upper side is white. Habitat Grey Nurse sharks live in swallow inshore waters and prefer more sandy beaches than rocky ones. Grey nurse sharks live in 2 areas; the eastern population along NSW & QLD, and the western population along WA. Behaviors The grey nurse sharks eats fish, lobster, small sharks, stingrays, etc. . The male and female sharks mature at 2.2m but reach a total length of 3.6m long. These sharks only mate once every 2 years with only 2 pups born at once (one in each uterus)These sharks are much more active at night and this is when they predominately hunt for food. Cause for loss of numbers? The Grey nurse shark have been suffering from endangerment over the recent years and the eastern population is listed as critically endangered with as low as 300 sharks left in NSW. These sharks have been commercially finished in the past years which rapidly declined their population. The habitat of these sharks are predominately around finishing sites which leads to accidental capturing and killing. Most of these sharks end up with hooks and lines stuck in their mouths which ends up killing them. Swimming beaches with shark nets also lead to the sharks getting stuck and dying and the Grey nurse sharks are often called up for this. Action Community groups have helped to prevent the death of these sharks. Research has been used to help understand the sharks better and save their environment. The WWF is working to help get donations and teach younger audiences about these sharks. |
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Notes on endangered table:
Appearance:
- Large, stout bodies - Pointed snout - Lots of visable teeth – three rows (not strong & break easy) - Very small eyes - Bronzed colour - White upper side - Gentle giants - Grow up to 3m long - Younger sharks have red and brown on their fins Habitat: - Live in swallow in shore waters - Prefer sandy beaches than rocky ones - Live in 2 areas; NSW/QLD & WA - Close inshore reefs or islands Behaviours: - Eat – lobster, fish, small sharks, string rays, etc. - Male & female mature at 2.2m - Total length – 3.6m - More active at night - Pups measure 1m at birth - Mating occurs in autumn and the pups are born the following winter - Only 2 pups are born at once – 1 in each uterus - Breed once each 2 years - Lowest reproductive rate of any sharks – increased mortality |
Cause for loss:
- Endangerment over recent years - Eastern population – critically endangered - Low as 300 sharks left in eastern pop - Been commercially fished – decreased population - Habitat is around fishing areas - Leads to accidental capturing & killing - Hooks and lines stuck in bodies - Swimming beach – shark nets killing Action: - Communities have helped prevent deaths - Research has been done – understanding - This has helped save and prevent deaths - WWF – donations - WWF – teaching younger kids about this species |