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Experience • Rescued Animals

Sharks

Updated June 4, 2023 Posted April 8, 2020

Visit our resident nurse shark, Thelma, and watch her swim around her habitat from above or underwater! You can also encounter epaulette sharks in the Sea Cavern.

Where to See

  • Shark Pass
  • Sea Cavern

Resident Nurse Shark

Thelma

Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)
Shark Pass
Thelma
Sex
Female
Length
Nearly 7 feet

A private collector took Thelma out of the wild as a young pup and later learned that nurse sharks continue to grow regardless of their tank size. When she had outgrown her tank, the collector could no longer care for her and brought Thelma to Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

We have given Thelma a forever home here at CMA where she has plenty of room to move about. Thelma has learned to voluntarily participate in her own medical management program through target-pole training. You can get an underwater view of Thelma with other marine fish by Shipwreck Alley or watch her from above at Shark Pass.

Shark Species

Nurse Sharks

Ginglymostoma cirratum
CMA Resident Nurse Shark
Status
Data Deficient
Average Size
130 lbs
Location
Caribbean, American west coast
Threats
Line fishing, commercial fishing
Defining Characteristic
Slow-moving bottom dweller
  • Reach lengths of up to 14 feet

Epaulette Sharks

Hemiscyllium ocellatum
Epaulette shark
Status
Data Deficient
Lifespan
20-25 years
Location
Australia and New Guinea
Threats
Commercial fishing
  • Have evolved to use pectoral fins to ‘walk’ and be out of water for up to 2 hours traveling between tidal pools

Did You Know…

Nurse sharks possess very sharp teeth, can grow up to 14 feet long, and live to be about 25 years old.
A nurse shark’s teeth are fan-shaped.
Nurse sharks use their powerful throat muscles, or pharyngeal muscles, to suck up their prey.
Nurse sharks are nocturnal, and can be found on sandy bottoms such as reef flats, sandy lagoons, and near mangroves.
The process in which nurse sharks suck up their prey is similar to a baby nursing on it’s mother, hence the name, nurse shark!
CMA Resident Nurse Shark
Resident Nurse Shark Swimming in Shark Pass

Thelma’s Neighbors

  • Resident Stingray Swimming
    Stingrays
  • CMA River Otter
    Otters

If You Like Sharks

Man with CMA Staff Learning About the Shark Care Experience

Shark Care Experience

Learn MoreBook Now
Resident Nurse Shark Swimming in Shark Pass

Shark Pass

Learn More

We believe in preserving our environment while inspiring the human spirit through leadership in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life; environmental education; research; and conservation.
We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium
249 Windward Passage
Clearwater, FL 33767
727-441-1790
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A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM, A FL-BASED NONPROFIT CORPORATION (REGISTRATION NO. CH352), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR BY VISITING www.800helpfla.com. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. Federal Tax ID#: 59-2086737.

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