According to YouTube user CalSmack the nurse shark seen in the video had been hooked on a fishing line, which still had a weight attached to it. The line had become entangled in the surrounding coral preventing the shark from moving. Having nothing to cut the line with but his room key, the snorkeler seen in the video managed to sever line “as close to the shark’s mouth” as he could allowing the nurse shark to swim away freely. Kudos to the snorkeler for his efforts!

According to the video information, these videos were shot at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

I’m not sure which I find more offensive, the fact that these guys are harassing animals or the fact that they are using urban lingo from circa 1995. Seems like the Atlantis needs to step up security.

Felix Leander at the Oceanic Dreams blog has suggested that anybody who would like to voice concern over the Atlantis’ apparent lack of security and protection of the animals in their care do so by contact Megan Marchesini – Public Relations for Kerzner (who own the Atlantis).

Megan Marchesini
Phone: 212-659-5203
Email: Megan.Marchesini@kerzner.com

While nurse shark’s are bottom-feeders and are generally harmless toward humans, I still feel the need to give a “Kids, don’t try this at home,” warning, as the species has been known to occasionally latch on to divers when harassed or handled. Kudos to the diver in this video for clearing the shark of its unwanted accessory.

Florence, a nurse shark like this one, underwent succesful out of water surgery.

Florence, who appeared ill at her previous home at Weymouth Sea Life Park (UK) was found to have a rusty fishhook embedded in her. After being anesthetized and removed from her tank, surgery was performed while seawater was continuously pumped through her gills. During her recovery, she was treated with antibiotics and fed via a tube. Ten days after the surgery, Florence was able to eat on her own and has since fully-recovered. Florence went on display at her new home, National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham (UK), yesterday.

Check BBC News for some video footage of the procedure.

A nurse shark in its natural environment

Personally, I hope the perpetrators are prosecuted for this act of needless stupidity.

• touching a bamboo shark
• competing for prizes in Shark Jeopardy
• classroom activities for children involving shark-related crafts and games
• a chance to have your picture taken in the replicated jaws of a huge, prehistoric megalodon
• viewing shark-feeding programs
• talking to Aquarium divers as they swim with sharks in the Live Dive programs

Sand Tiger Shark at NC Aquarium - Pine Knoll Shores (Living Shipwreck exhibit)

Shark conservation and education is not overlooked on the NC Aquarium’s Shark Week website, which points out that, “Most shark bites along East Coast shorelines have been attributed to sharks mistaking swimmers for fish…The human impact on sharks poses another sort of threat. Over-fishing, hunting, pollution and other factors have caused shark numbers to decline worldwide. Many shark species are classified as endangered and all northwest Atlantic shark species have dramatically declined in the past 15 years.”

The NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (located in Atlantic Beach, NC) is home to sand tiger sharks, nurse sharks, a sandbar shark, and a bonnethead shark.

It’s nice to see the aquarium organizing what appears to be a environmentally-responsible and educational Shark Week. Perhaps, other organizations will wake up to the idea that conservation-minded, educational content can be also be fun and interesting.