Safety note: A large coastal shark. Keep your distance and never feed one.
Named for its yellow-brown color, which camouflages it over sandy bottoms. Among the best-studied of all sharks, lemon sharks return to the same nursery areas and even socialize with familiar individuals.
Habitat
Warm shallow waters, mangroves, bays, and reefs off Florida and the Gulf.
Diet
Bony fish, rays, crustaceans, and smaller sharks.
How common
Uncommon
Best time to see a Lemon Shark
The best time to see a Lemon Shark is March–August, when about 63% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 421 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Recent Lemon Shark sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
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5,300+species
63national parks
50states