Shark Bay: Shallow Coastline Full of Baby Lemon Sharks

Shark Bay is located on the northeast coast of Sal Island, a few kilometres south of the village of Pedra de Lume, famous for its Salinas. The beach is rocky, and the shallows extend far from the shore, making the site a perfect breeding and nursery site for lemon sharks, which can safely spend their first years of life here, protected from the predators and other dangers of deep water.

It’s a popular tourist spot on the island. Baby lemon sharks are small and harmless to humans. Therefore, people can enter the water for a closer look without fear of harm.

It’s important to wear suitable footwear, as the rocky bottom is slippery and full of sea urchins. Flip-flops won’t work. Dont worry though, it’s possible to rent shoes for a few euros at the place.

It’s best to observe the sharks in the company of local guides/keepers, who lure the small sharks closer by feeding them with fresh fish entrails. The baby sharks come in herds, following the scent of food, and are not afraid of humans; they often swim between their legs.

Shark Bay: Natural Nursery in the Shallow Waters

Shark Bay stands out as a natural nursery where young lemon sharks find refuge. Here, the seafloor is sandy and shallow — rarely deeper than waist‑high — offering safety from larger, adult predators. The bay’s protection from open ocean conditions creates ideal raising grounds for these pups.

Researchers from Cape Verde and conservation NGOs have confirmed that Lemon Sharks return here annually to breed and nurture their young — a hallmark of nursery habitat. Their behaviour, science tells us, offers insight into the species’ life cycle and the health of coastal ecosystems.

Lemon Sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) of Shark Bay

The lemon shark occupies shallow waters, coral keys and mangrove forests along the Atlantic Ocean and parts of the Pacific. It inhabits and returns to specific nursery sites for breeding, like Shark Bay.

The lemon shark is easily recognisable by the distinct yellow hue of its skin, from which it got its name. It can grow to 3.4 metres in length, which makes it one of the largest shark species in the ocean. It can weigh up to 250 kg and lives up to 30 years. Its stocky build and other physical features make it a powerful predator underwater, but it is also a common target of commercial fishers looking to sell and trade the shark’s fins and meat.

The lemon shark’s yellow skin colour provides perfect camouflage in sandy in-shore areas where it often forages for food. The colour, flattened head, and short snout make the lemon shark a skilful predator of bony fish, crustaceans and stingrays.

Read also:

• Lemon Sharks (Negaprion brevirostris): a Close Look at the Species;
• In-Depth Look at Lemon Sharks: Ecology, Behaviour, and the Role of Shark Bay.

Encountering the Sharks: What to Expect

At Shark Bay, sharks glide past feet without concern. Young individuals — distinctly small, under two metres — explore the sandbars, their yellowish-brown bodies moving through the shallow water. They rarely stray far from shore.

Visitors often stand on submerged rocks, watch from the sand, or don snorkel masks. With guidance, spotting shark pups becomes easy: their distinctive tail flicks and dorsal fins are unmistakable. Encounters last about 30 minutes — enough time to observe their curious snouts and small schools circling prey.

Placing no bait in the water is critical. These sharks forage naturally, and interactions are respectful, quiet, and observation-based. Guides emphasise maintaining distance and supporting sustainable tourism.

The Importance of Shark Bay

A baby lemon shark’s presence may seem unremarkable — until you realise how vital nursery habitats are to species survival. Juveniles use them to grow until they are firm enough to venture into deeper waters. Without such spaces, populations decline.

Cape Verde’s coastal protection, including Shark Bay, supports not just lemon sharks, but a wider array of marine species — juvenile rays, reef fish, and turtles share these underwater meadows. Observing young sharks here is connected to a larger story: ecological resilience amid a warming Atlantic.

Getting There: Tips for Travelers

The Human and Conservation Angle

Tourism operators work closely with marine biologists to ensure Shark Bay remains sustainable. A growing wave of “shark-friendly tourism” sees income returning directly to local communities, supporting both conservation and livelihoods. Tourist fees help fund research into shark movement and nursery ecology.

For Cape Verde, lemon shark tourism is more than a novelty — it’s a tool for awareness and stewardship. Visitors who witness these pups swimming free often better appreciate the need to protect their ecosystem.

Reflections

Shark Bay is not sensational — it’s quietly profound. With no dramatic predator encounters, no forced intimacy, it offers a rare chance: to observe, not interfere. It teaches calm attentiveness, the value of subtlety, and the power of ecosystems thriving just off our path.

The next time you visit Sal, consider a walk with the sharks. Bring water shoes, curiosity, and respect—and listen to the rhythms beneath your own feet.

Bibliography & Further Reading

• The global status of sharks, rays, and chimaeras. Cabo Verde, Manuel Dureuil and Kirsti Ann Burnett, Dalhousie University, ResearchGate, December 2024;
• Sharks in Cabo Verde, Canarias, Madeira and Azores islands: species richness, conservation status and anthropogenic pressures, Jaquelino Varela, Catarina Pereira Santos, Emanuel Nunes, Vasco Pissarra, University of Lisbon, Frontiers in Marine Science, ResearchGate, 2025;
• Evidence for the first multi-species shark nursery area in Atlantic Africa (Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde), Frontiers in Marine Science, St Andrews Research Repository, 2023;
• Shark Nursery, Damond Benningfield, Science and the Sea;
• Lemon shark and Wildlife of Cape Verde, Wikipedia;
• Pictures: personal collection, 2023.