Pacific Nurse Shark

Pacific nurse sharks rest motionless on the sandy floor at El Remanso during the day, their tawny-brown bodies wedged under coral ledges in groups of up to 4 individuals. Unlike the active pelagic sharks found at Gorgona's offshore sites, nurse sharks are docile bottom-dwellers that rarely react to diver presence, making them ideal subjects for extended observation. At night they become active hunters, using their barbels and electroreception to locate crabs, shrimp, and small fish buried in the sand.