Marine Mammals

• You'll find plenty of mammalian sea life off Nags Head. The most common is the bottlenose dolphin, although several other dolphin species have been witnessed here, including the killer whale, or orca, which is really a species of dolphin. Whales are a common feature off the Outer Banks, and whale-watching trips can be taken from Nags Head and other towns. Expect to see pilot whales, sperm whales and possibly North Atlantic right whales. Other mammals that frequent these shores are seals and sea lions.
  
  

The Shark Family

• The ocean off Nags Head is considered to be a birthing place for several species of shark, including the tiger shark, the blue shark, the white tip shark and the thresher shark. The Atlantic sharpnose shark and the silky shark can be seen close to the shoreline from May to December. The smooth dogfish, a close relation of the shark that averages 4 feet in length, is frequently found in less than 10 fathoms and feeds chiefly on crabs and shrimp. Hammerheads and sand tiger sharks are frequent visitors close to the shore.
  
  

Shell Fish

• Shell fish of many types abound off the shores of Nags Head. You'll find several species of crabs including the lady crab, blue crab, calico crab and fiddler crab. Hermit crabs, porcelain crabs and spider crabs, as well as hairy crabs and stone crabs, are also plentiful. Other shellfish include barnacles, ghost shrimp, grass shrimp, snapping shrimp and lobster.
  
  

Other Marine Animals

• Invertebrates make up a large proportion of the marine animal population of Nags Head. These animals include such strange creatures as jellyfish, sea urchins, sea anemones, fire worms, tube worms, hairy sea cucumbers, star fish and tunicates. Sand dollars and sea squirts complete the picture. Other animals include the common musk turtle, the loggerhead turtle, the green turtle and Kemp's Ridley turtle. Not mentioned are the hundreds of species of fish that abound off the Outer Banks.