Just saying this as a caveat:
While nurse sharks are generally docile creatures they can bite.
A nurse shark has markedly different behavior and different style of jaw than most sharks.
It's probably best not to approach any sharks.
Very cool pic Mr. Twister.
PS the shark in the picture is a nurse shark.
Last edited by Rum-polephoreskin; 01-27-2012 at 04:13 PM. Reason: more info
Yes, very true Rum
I did most of my studies with Nurse Sharks ( Have a BS in Marine Biology, though I was never able to actually put it to much professional use) though my all time favorite shark is the Black tip or even the Great White! oh yeah!
Each species is definitely different, but much like you state, they are all still sharks! And I find them, much like most of the ocean's creatures, fascinating!!!!
Last edited by marley9808; 01-27-2012 at 04:43 PM.
I know we aren't talking about EELS, but just had to share this:
LOL!!!!!!!Originally Posted by jamaica joleen
Love that!
Carpe Diem
too funny Joleen
I spear as many of these suckers in the west end as i can when snorkeling. Give them to one of the locals and he says he cooks them up. I'll eat the Lobster thermidor myself. Don't enjoy killing anything but the Lionfish don't belong in the water here causing a lot of problems they have to go. Please don't try spearing them yourself unless you have experience and always be extra carefull if you try. Dan
INVASION OF THE LIONFISH
Severe direct and indirect impact from the Lionfish have been reported on coral reef ecosystems in Bermuda, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Haiti, Virgin Islands, Belize, Panama and Colombia, and the Netherlands Islands.
The Lionfish is an efficient carnivore that feeds on a wide variety of smaller fishes, shrimps and crabs, out-competing native species. It also has the potential to decrease the abundance of ecologically important species such as parrot-fish and other herbivorous fishes that keep seaweeds and macro-algae from overgrowing corals.*The Lionfish's adaptability to the mangrove and seagrass beds that provide sanctuary to juvenile reef fish will, scientists say, make it difficult to eradicate.
The Lionfish is a member of the Scorpion fish family and is originally from the ice cold waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean and the Red Sea and is not native to the warm water of the Caribbean. First identified several years ago, it has been speculated that it's introduction may have occurred when Hurricane Andrew destroyed an aquarium in Florida in 1992, or released as abandoned pets No one knows for sure? The sizes likely to be seen vary, but in the Caribbean, they grow up to 55 cm (approximately 2 feet) in length.
Usually, Lionfish are not aggressive towards humans. They hide during the day under rock and coral and are easily approached as they move very slowly and can be viewed at a close distance. They have venomous spines that are used purely for defense. It should be noted that while their stings are not likely to be fatal, they are very painful. Lionfish are voracious predators and one Lionfish may eat more than 30,000 juvenile fish per year. Females can lay up to eight thousand eggs at one time.
The Lionfish is not only edible but is also a tasty fish. The creation of a market for the consumption of the fish is being encouraged in an effort to control their population. If left unchecked this species will result in serious environmental and economic damage to Jamaica’s already degraded fisheries.
Stay calm, swim back to the boat asap where hopefully they will have something put spray on the sting and most importantly - if you get stung, try not to yell while underwater, it never works out too well.... lol
The most likely thing to get you is jelly fish. Be aware of floating "trash" on the surface of the water, they often will congregate with it. I got stuck in the middle of a flotilla of little ones and yeah, it hurt but I survived. As for sea urchins - you are ok as long as you stay away and don't put a bare foot down on the bottom where they usually are. And when swimming near rocks exercise caution. As explained earlier, lion fish spines are for defense not offense - so if you leave them alone, they won't bother you.
HOW DANGEROUS ARE LION FISH TO SWIMMERS?:
First of all: don't even begin to worry about lion fish on the beach. There are none!
=====
Hubby-Man-
They are, in fact, on the beach. Last year when I was there I would see them regularly, fairly close to shore on the beach
and would watch them swim in a line right down parallel with the beach. I don't know if it was the same one I was seeing every day or there
were a few in the area- but they are definitely around and close to the beach.
Jamaica Joleen,
Not snorkel in WI??????
Have you ever been to Devils Lake (State Park)?
Fantastic snorkeling opportunity.
On the west shore the rocks have tumbled down into the lake so when you're 20 feet from shore you're in 20 feet of water.
The water has fantastic clarity (for WI - certainly not Carribean clarity) but the are scary (?) things, huge bass (so big their lips are destinguishable) walleyes, and once in 30 feet of water I saw a nothern (pike) as big as my leg (and I have big legs). I could distinguish paths in the sea weed near the bottom and I imagined this bruiser created them.
Don't be sceered!
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