Nine of these incidents were listed as unprovoked attacks, seven as provoked attacks, and five as attacks on boats. Contrary to these fearful sounding statistics, the animal has never been fingered in a fatal assault and is considered relatively harmless unless agitated. One of 39 shark species protected by the National Marine Fisheries Service, the lemon shark is easily distinguished by its two large dorsal fins and long pectoral fins. Although most active around twilight and dawn, lemon sharks hunt throughout the day, feeding mainly on an assortment of rays, reef fishes and crustaceans. They seem to prefer reefs with mangrove and sea grass habitats.
Lemon sharks are most common along the coasts of Latin America and the Caribbean.
However, it has been spotted as far north as New Jersey and as far south as the southern end of Brazil. The Web Copyright 2000 ABC News Internet Ventures.