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5 Friendly & Least Dangerous Sharks

5 Friendly & Least Dangerous Sharks

Written by Scuba.com
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Updated on June 8, 2023
nurse shark least dangerous sharks

There are a multitude of different types of sharks swimming the oceans of our world, and most are considered too dangerous to approach. There are, however, five particular sharks that are universally considered to be friendly and the least dangerous shark species in the world.

Friendly & Least Dangerous Sharks

Caribbean Reef Shark

reef shark least dangerous sharks
Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

The Caribbean reef shark is roughly ten feet in length with a dusky gray hue. The easiest way to tell one from other similar looking sharks is the triangular extra tip on their second dorsal fin. This fish has such a strong reputation for safety around humans that some ocean guides have turned feeding them into a show. This practice is as popular as it is controversial.

Nurse Shark

nurse shark least dangerous sharks
Photo by Wouter Naert on Unsplash

The nurse shark is a bottom dwelling fish, grey-brown in color, and is fairly docile unless physically threatened. Their most distinctive characteristic is a tail fin that measures nearly a quarter of their length.

Leopard Shark

leopard shark
Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

The leopard shark is the first on our list of least dangerous shark species to be utterly harmless to humans. There has not been a single report of a human being bitten by a leopard shark. They live primarily in shallow waters, are rarely found more than twenty feet below the surface, and feed on crabs and small fish.

Angel Shark

angel shark
Image via Shutterstock

The angel shark doesn’t really look like a shark so much as a ray mixed with a flounder. They are fairly flat looking and have wide dorsal fins that run almost the entire length of their bodies. Angel sharks live all along the western coast of the Americas in as little as three feet of water.

Whale Shark

whale shark
Photo by Sebastian Pena Lambarri on Unsplash

The whale shark is massive and the largest of all sharks. However, they are considered to be quite gentle. These beautiful giants are covered in a pattern of white stripes and dots over a brown, blue, or gray background. Divers have been known to swim alongside whale sharks in total safety. Just remember: don’t touch them!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the safest shark to swim with? 

There are many harmless sharks that are perfectly safe to swim with. One of the most common and least dangerous sharks is the nurse shark. Nurse sharks are docile sharks and they grow to a maximum of 15ft long, compared to the equally-as-gentle whale shark (which can grow to around 62ft)! Both can be swam with and give great selfie opportunities as they aren’t shy, and neither have teeth. However, due to size, the nurse shark is likely the least dangerous.

What sharks have no teeth?

When you think of sharks, you likely think of big teeth, too. But that’s not always the case. There are a few species of shark that actually have no teeth at all. These include the nurse shark, the whale shark, the basking shark, and the megamouth shark.

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Our team of experts and scuba diving pros at Scuba.com share their knowledge of the underwater world.