Nurse Shark

Photo: Christian Amador Da Silva · © all rights reserved

Groups of 3 to 8 individuals rest on the sandy patches beneath plate coral throughout the day, a behaviour enabled by the site's low diver traffic and the Guanahacabibes reserve's no-take rules. Their nocturnal foraging on molluscs and crustaceans plays a key role in controlling urchin and conch populations on the surrounding reef. Pups are reliably sighted between August and October, suggesting the nearby shallows serve as a pupping area.