After Australian scientists collected data from 300 female eastern gray nurse sharks off the coast of New South Wales, they calculated updated population numbers for the critically endangered shark. 

As reported by National Environmental Science Program Marine and Coastal Hub for Phys.org, what they found was a sustained increase in the eastern gray nurse shark population.

It is estimated that their adult population rose 5% annually between 2017 and 2023. 

In 2017, approximately 1,096 eastern gray nurse sharks inhabited the waters, and by 2023, their numbers had increased to around 1,420. This feat, according to Phys.org, is partly a response to conservation efforts focused on boosting the shark population.

The National Recovery Plan for the Gray Nurse Shark, an Australian conservation effort primarily funded by the government, has made efforts to mitigate the impact of commercial fishing on the shark species.

Under its provisions, Australian state governments are responsible for enforcing fisheries measures to prevent the capture of the eastern gray nurse shark, as outlined in the recovery plan. Fisheries are also tasked with tracking and documenting sightings of the species. 

Additionally, several areas where eastern gray nurse sharks congregate for breeding, birthing, and feeding remain protected in NSW and Queensland, the outlet reports. What makes these conservation efforts such a slow process is the rate at which they reproduce. 

Gray nurse sharks have the lowest reproductive rates of any shark, breeding only every two years and birthing only two pups per yearlong gestation period, according to Dr. David Harasti.

While recovery may be slow-moving, the gray nurse shark has shown progress as its population rises, giving conservationists hope for a sustainable and balanced future.

Balance in an ecosystem is of utmost importance, as it ensures the biodiversity that is essential for the planet's well-being. When an ecosystem is balanced and diverse, every creature in the food chain, including humans, reaps the benefits, namely, sources of nourishment. 

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Conservationists look forward to the seemingly positive future of the eastern gray nurse shark. 

"It seems we are heading in the right direction to ensuring a more positive future for the gray nurse shark along our east coast," Dr. Harasti observed.

"This early sign of recovery is great news for this long-lived species," said Threatened Species Commissioner Dr. Fiona Fraser. 

However, Fraser warned not to lose sight of the fact that the eastern gray nurse shark remains critically endangered, and further conservation efforts are needed.

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