First Atlantic Nurse Shark Recorded on Cameroon’s Coast

Kribi, Cameroon — An Atlantic nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) has been identified for the first time along Cameroon’s coastline, during AMCO’s monitoring activities at the Mboa-Manga landing site in Kribi.

Using the Siren App, the discovery was made while our researchers documented rays and sharks at local landing sites, collecting biological data such as size, weight, sex, and maturity stage. Unlike the shark species commonly observed in the region, the nurse shark is a benthic species known for its discreet, primarily nocturnal lifestyle.

Classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List, the Atlantic nurse shark plays an important ecological role. “The nurse shark plays an essential ecological role in regulating benthic communities, mainly through its predation on invertebrates and demersal fish”, says AMCO’s Shark and Ray Manager, Ghofrane Labyedh. “The species is primarily nocturnal”, she adds.

However, the Atlantic nurse shark faces increasing threats from overfishing and habitat degradation. Ghofrane says this first confirmed record along Cameroon’s southern coast underscores the rich biodiversity of the country’s marine ecosystems and highlights the urgent need to intensify research and conservation efforts.

According to Ghofrane, the finding also adds to regional knowledge of shark distribution in Central Africa, reinforcing the importance of protecting fragile marine habitats that support both local communities and significant species worldwide.

It is worth noting that in 2022, AMCO, through the SIREN Application, recorded the Atlantic pygmy devil ray for the first time in Cameroon— a species that had not been seen for decades.