A team of scientists have said that they have found a rare nursery for sand tiger sharks in the Great South Bay area. They said that the shark has been listed as “vulnerable” and “critically endangered” in some areas of the world and their population has declined over the years due to overfishing and other reasons.

Scientists working at the New York Aquarium discovered the rare nursery off the waters of Long Island. A team of researchers working with the Wildlife Conservation Society began tracking a sand tiger in 2011 after a dead juvenile shark was spotted in the area. The team used acoustic transmitters and tagging to find that sharks returned so the same area of the bay as a safe place for feeding and growing.

Dr. Merry Camhi, director of NY Seascape, the wildlife group’s local marine conservation program said, “Sand tiger shark pups are not born here but migrate from down south to spend the summers as juveniles in New York’s coastal waters. The acoustically tagged animals in our study will help us better understand where the sharks go, their habitat needs and how we can better protect them.”

Sand tiger sharks can grow as long as 10 feet and weigh up to 350 pounds and are known for their scary appearance and power to swim.