Herbsts nurse sharks (Odontaspis ferox) are a rarely encountered species that looks very similar to the grey nurse shark. Grey nurse sharks are found in shallower inshore waters, while Herbsts nurse sharks are generally found at depths of 150–600 m off the NSW coast. The species has a wide but irregular distribution throughout the warm temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. In Australasia, they have been recorded off NSW, eastern Victoria, north-western Australia, New Zealand and the Kermadec Islands. The Herbsts nurse shark is named locally after the first collector of the species in Australia. Internationally, its names include small-toothed sand tiger shark and bumpy-tail ragged-tooth shark.

Herbsts nurse sharks are listed as a protected fish in NSW under the Fisheries Management Act 1994. Heavy penalties apply for taking or possessing them.

The contents of this Primefact include:

• Description
• Habitat and ecology
• Why are Herbsts nurse sharks protected?
• What conservation actions are underway?
• Legal implications
• Bibliography and further reading
• Contact details for further information.