Nurse Shark

Photo: Rafael de la Parra · CC BY-NC

Nurse sharks are reliable residents of Salt River Canyon, resting in stacked piles beneath ledge overhangs during daylight hours before dispersing to hunt crustaceans and molluscs after dark. Their passive, bottom-oriented behaviour makes them ideal subjects for close observation, and experienced guides know exactly which ledges hold groups of three to eight individuals on any given dive. As apex predators in the shallow canyon ecosystem, their presence signals healthy trophic structure.