In Search of the Elusive and Rare Albino Nurse Shark in San Blas
Last spotted April 24th 2024 around the shallows of the San Blas Cays, this rare specimen of nurse shark is one of the few known to have been documented.
Snorkeling in San Blas means entering a pristine aquatic and thriving ecosystem filled with marine life of all kinds.
Healthy corals, a myriad of colorful fish types and basically all the food chain has remained intact for the most part. Specimens long disappeared in other parts of the Caribbean can be easily observed throughout the snorkeling spots visited while on your yacht charter in San Blas. Well... few lobsters are missing... but that is for a good cause :)
Swimming with the friendly nurse sharks, either ashore or right from the catamaran is one of the highlights contemplated in our sailing trips in San Blas and we encourage you to engage in this activity meant for both adults and kids. The gentle character and slow movements of the nurse sharks along with the instructions of the captain will help you dissipate any fear that may have been implanted in you. The small teeth on nurse sharks are meant for crushing hard-shelled prey such as lobster and crab and their small mouths only open in a low angle, that along with their gentle character makes swimming with them a totally safe experience.
Albino animals in the wild have been documented extensively and a quick search on Google will show animals of all kinds that carry this genetic mutation which causes the animal to not be able to produce melanine. Gorillas, zebras, alligators... even turtles and snails all over the planet have been documented with this condition but only a handful of albino sharks have been discovered and to this day remain an extremely rare sight.
Only footage available of the albino nurse shark in San Blas.
Video of Albino Shark in San Blas
We will be documenting this particular animal during the summer when water visibility is at its greatest. We will keep you posted. For obvious preservation reasons we are not detailing the exact coordinates of where the albino nurse shark resides.
With scuba diving being banned in the San Blas islands, the rich coral reefs can only be visited while snorkelling which for some might be a put off but we definitely align with the Guna Congreso (San Blas ruling party) which long ago dictated the ban on certain water activities such as kitesurfing, jetskying, scuba diving and anything that was not compatible with the peaceful coexistence with the local population and the natural environment. Ban on these activities also meant reducing the influx of visitors to the region which in turns also helped to ease the overall pressure on this still idyllic paradise.
Join our catamaran cruise in San Blas and discover the most authentic and well preserved reef system in the Caribbean. Visit the outer cays and the best snorkelling locations of the San Blas islands, all under the supervision of our professional captain and crew.
