Nurse shark

Photo: Raphael Forns · CC BY-NC

Nurse sharks are obligate bottom-dwellers that rest in clusters during the day in Kelleston Drain's deeper sandy channels, relying on buccal pumping to pass water over their gills while stationary. They are primarily nocturnal hunters of octopus, squid, and reef fish. Despite their docile reputation, nurse sharks are an important indicator species — their continued presence at Kelleston Drain signals that the site retains healthy reef structure and has not experienced significant fishing pressure.