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Nurse Shark

Ginglymostoma cirratum

Fish · family Ginglymostomatidae · order Orectolobiformes

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Nurse Shark
Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
Native in
3 states[2]
Longest recorded life
25 years[3]

The Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is a fish in the family Ginglymostomatidae[4]. NatureServe records its IUCN Red List category as Vulnerable, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[5][1].

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe for the Nurse Shark is Vulnerable[5]. In USFWS ECOS data, the species is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act, checked on 2026-10-30[1]. Not being listed under the ESA is a legal fact about that one law.

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[5] Vulnerable

Where Nurse Shark lives

NatureServe lists the Nurse Shark as native in 3 US states and territories: Delaware, South Carolina and Texas[2]. On GBIF, the states with the most observation records are Florida, North Carolina, New Mexico, Texas and California[6]. Those counts follow how much people look and report, not how many sharks live there[6].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: native, state rank SNRDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S4SCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank SUTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[7].
Show state ranks (3 states)
StateRankMeaning
DelawareSNRNot Ranked
South CarolinaS4Apparently Secure
TexasSUUnrankable

Lifespan

The Nurse Shark belongs to the order Orectolobiformes[4]. The longest recorded lifespan in AnAge is 25 years in the wild[3]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan[3].

Trait Value
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[3] 25 years (wild)

When to look for it

GBIF observation records of the Nurse Shark in the United States peak in June, July and August[8]. Records reflect when people look and report, not how many animals there are[8].

January: 101 recordsJanFebruary: 85 recordsFebMarch: 107 recordsMarApril: 123 recordsAprMay: 170 recordsMayJune: 348 recordsJunJuly: 289 recordsJulAugust: 232 recordsAugSeptember: 135 recordsSepOctober: 60 recordsOctNovember: 90 recordsNovDecember: 73 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[8].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January101
February85
March107
April123
May170
June348
July289
August232
September135
October60
November90
December73

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Nurse Shark as present in 4 park units[9]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Florida, North Carolina, New Mexico, Texas, California[6]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Nurse Shark endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe records its IUCN Red List category as Vulnerable[5].
Where does the Nurse Shark live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in Delaware, South Carolina and Texas[2]. GBIF records are most numerous for Florida, North Carolina, New Mexico, Texas and California, but this reflects observer effort[6].
How long does a Nurse Shark live?
The longest recorded lifespan in AnAge is 25 years in the wild[3]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan[3].
When are Nurse Sharks seen most often?
GBIF records peak in June, July and August[8]. This shows when people report sightings, not how many sharks there are[8].

Facts and sources

  1. Nurse Shark is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe lists Nurse Shark as native in 3 US states and territories: Delaware, South Carolina, Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  3. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 25 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  4. Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is a fish in the family Ginglymostomatidae, order Orectolobiformes. NatureServe Explorer
  5. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Vulnerable. NatureServe Explorer
  6. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Nurse Shark: Florida, North Carolina, New Mexico, Texas, California. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  7. NatureServe state ranks for Nurse Shark (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  8. GBIF observation records of Nurse Shark in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  9. NPSpecies park lists recording Nurse Shark as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.