The Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) is a large species of ground shark, the largest order of sharks, with over 270 species. It is one of the most solitary, nocturnal hunters among sharks. It is also notable for having the widest food variety of all sharks.
Tiger sharks are considered to be sacred 'aumākua (ancestor spirits) by some native Hawaiians.The Tiger shark, possess a unique significance as 'aumakua, revered as family guardians in Hawaiian culture. The Tiger shark, regarded as an intelligent and highly perceptive spiritual entity, assumes the role of a messenger bridging the gap between humans and the divine. In the Hawaiian belief system, 'aumakua take on various forms, either animals or objects, representing ancestral connections and manifestations of departed family members. This perspective underscores the intricate web of interdependence among plants, animals, elements, and humans, underscoring the imperative to honor and coexist harmoniously with nature.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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OmnivoreAn omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
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CosmopolitanAnimals with cosmopolitan distribution are those whose range extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Another aspect of cos...
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OvoviviparousOvoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous an...
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NomadicNomadic animals regularly move to and from the same areas within a well-defined range. Most animals travel in groups in search of better territorie...
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AquaticAn aquatic animal is an animal, either vertebrate or invertebrate, which lives in water for most or all of its life. It may breathe air or extract ...
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NatatorialNatatorial animals are those adapted for swimming. Some fish use their pectoral fins as the primary means of locomotion, sometimes termed labriform...
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Apex predatorAn apex predator, also known as a top predator, is a predator at the top of a food chain and has no natural predators. These animals usually occup...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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PolygynandryPolygynandry is a mating system in which both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season.
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DangerousDangerous animals demonstrate aggression and a propensity to attack or harass people or other animals without provocation.
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Generally solitaryGenerally solitary animals are those animals that spend their time separately but will gather at foraging areas or sleep in the same location or sh...
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OceanodromousT
starts withA Tiger shark is very large and generally has long fins, which provide lift as it maneuvers through water. The long upper tail provides bursts of speed. Its skin can range from blue to light green with a white or light-yellow underbelly. Dark spots and stripes are most visible in young sharks and fade as the shark matures. Its head is somewhat wedge-shaped, which makes it easy to turn quickly to one side. Tiger sharks have small pits on the snout which hold electroreceptors called the ampullae of Lorenzini, which enable them to detect electric fields, including the weak electrical impulses generated by prey, which helps them to hunt. Tiger shark teeth are unique with very sharp, pronounced serrations and an unmistakable sideways-pointing tip. Such dentition has developed to slice through flesh, bone, and other tough substances, such as turtle shells. Like most sharks, its teeth are continually replaced by rows of new teeth throughout the shark's life.
Tiger sharks occur in the Gulf of Mexico, North American beaches, and parts of South America. They are also commonly observed in the Caribbean Sea. Other locations where tiger sharks are seen include off Africa, China, India, Australia, and Indonesia. Tiger sharks are often found close to the coast, mainly in tropical and subtropical waters throughout the world. They are primarily nomadic, but their movements are guided by warmer currents, and they stay closer to the equator throughout the colder months. Tiger sharks usually stay in deep waters that line reefs, but they can also move into channels to pursue prey in shallower waters.
Tiger sharks are generally solitary, nocturnal predators and swim close inland to eat at night; during the day, they swim out into deeper waters. Certain individuals have been recorded at depths just shy of 900 m (3,000 ft). When hunting, Tiger sharks circle their prey and study it by prodding it with their snout. When attacking, they often eat their prey whole, although larger prey are often eaten in gradually large bites and finished over time. All Tiger sharks generally swim slowly, which, combined with cryptic coloration, may make them difficult for prey to detect in some habitats. They are especially well camouflaged against dark backgrounds. Despite their sluggish appearance, tiger sharks are one of the strongest swimmers of the carcharhinid sharks. Once the shark has come close, a speed burst allows it to reach the intended prey before it can escape.
Tiger sharks are apex predators and have a reputation for eating almost anything. Young individuals prefer small fish, as well as various small jellyfish and mollusks, including cephalopods. Around the time they attain 2.3 m (7.5 ft), their selection expands considerably, and much larger animals become regular prey. Adult Tiger sharks hunt numerous fish, mollusks (including gastropods and cephalopods), crustaceans, sea birds, sea snakes, marine mammals, dolphins, dugongs, seals and sea lions, and sea turtles (including the three largest species: the Leatherback, the Loggerhead, and the Green sea turtles. They also eat other sharks (including adult sandbar sharks, as well as rays, and sometimes even other Tiger sharks. They will also scavenge on dead whales and dead manta rays in the German Channel of Palau.
Tiger sharks are polygynandrous (promiscuous), meaning males and females have multiple mates. Females mate once every three years. Mating in the Northern Hemisphere generally takes place between March and May, with birth between April and June the following year. In the Southern Hemisphere, mating takes place in November, December, or early January. The Tiger shark is the only species in its family that is ovoviviparous; the eggs hatch internally, and the young are born live when fully developed. Tiger sharks are unique among all sharks in the fact that they employ embrytrophy to nourish their young inside the womb. The young gestate in sacks filled with a nourishing fluid. The young develop inside the mother's body up to 16 months, and litters typically contain 10-80 pups. A newborn is generally 51-76 cm (20-30 in) long. Young males become reproductively mature at 2.3-2.9 m (7.5-9.5 ft) and females at 2.5-3.5 m (8.2-11.5 ft)
Tiger sharks are captured and killed for their fins, flesh, and liver. They are caught regularly in target and nontarget fisheries. Several populations have declined where they have been heavily fished. Continued demand for fins may result in further declines. Shark liver has a high concentration of vitamin A, which is used in the production of vitamin oils. In addition, Tiger sharks are captured and killed for their distinct skin, as well as by big-game fishers.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Tiger shark total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are decreasing.
Tiger sharks are considered a near threatened species due to excessive finning and fishing by humans, according tothe International Union for Conservation of Nature. In June 2018, the New Zealand Department of Conservation classified the Tiger shark as "Migrant" with the qualifier "Secure Overseas" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. In 2010, Greenpeace International added the Tiger shark to its seafood red list, which is a list of commonly sold fish likely to come from unsustainable fisheries.
Although sharks rarely bite humans, the tiger shark is reported to be responsible for a large share of fatal shark-bite incidents, and is regarded as one of the most dangerous shark species. They often visit shallow reefs, harbors, and canals, creating the potential for encounter with humans. The tiger shark also dwells in river mouths and other runoff-rich water. While it ranks second on the list of number of recorded shark attacks on humans, behind only the great white shark, such attacks are few and very seldom fatal. Typically, three to four shark bites occur per year in Hawaii; one notable survivor of such an attack is surfing champion Bethany Hamilton, who lost her left arm at age 13 to a tiger shark in 2003. This bite rate is very low, considering that thousands of people swim, surf, and dive in Hawaiian waters every day. Human interactions with tiger sharks in Hawaiian waters have been shown to increase between September and November, when tiger shark females are believed to migrate to the islands to give birth.
On 8 June 2023, a tiger shark attacked and killed a 23-year-old Russian man in the Red Sea off the coast of the Egyptian city of Hurghada. The attack was filmed by onlookers and the recording went viral. The shark was later captured by fishermen and killed. This was the third fatal tiger shark attack in the area since 2022.
Between 1959 and 2000, 4,668 tiger sharks were culled in an effort to protect the tourism industry. Despite damaging the shark population, these efforts were shown to be ineffective in decreasing the number of interactions between humans and tiger sharks. Feeding sharks in Hawaii (except for traditional Hawaiian cultural or religious practices) is illegal, and interaction with them, such as cage diving, is discouraged. South African shark behaviorist and shark diver Mark Addison demonstrated divers could interact and dive with them outside of a shark cage in a 2007 Discovery Channel special, and underwater photographer Fiona Ayerst swam with them in the Bahamas. At "Tiger Beach" off Grand Bahama, uncaged diving with – and even the handling of – female tiger sharks has become a routine occurrence.
Warming Atlantic Ocean currents have caused tiger shark migration paths to move further north, according to a University of Miami study.
