SharkoFiles: Tiger Shark

Based on size, the tiger shark is the fourth largest shark in the world. The tiger sharks have broad diets which earn them the nickname of swimming garbage disposal. In addition to being aggressive predators and voracious hunters, they are called tiger sharks because of the stripes found on their bodies that eventually fades with time. Tiger sharks might probably be the only shark that regularly hunts sea turtles. At times the tiger sharks sometimes share food with other predators such as crocodiles and Great White sharks.

This species of sharks has been known to bite and attack humans. In fact, they are second deadliest sharks in the oceans in terms of attack on humans. They may be among the group of slow moving sharks, but also are among the strongest swimmers in the ocean. They are nocturnal predators who care less for social interaction and thus mostly hunt individually. Due to the fact that the tiger sharks are heavily hunted by humans for their skin products, they are enlisted as near threatened species throughout their habitation.

The life expectancy of the tiger shark is believed to be around 27 years.

Taxonomy

The tiger sharks belong to the order Carcharhiniformes (ground sharks) and the family of Carcharhinidae (requiem sharks).

Morphology

The tiger sharks distinguishing features include long and pointed caudal fin with reinforcing ridges, as well as a distinctive mottled pattern in juveniles, and striped tiger-like pattern in adults. Moreover, their snout is shorter than the mouth width, having a large head with a slender body. The tiger sharks have a cockscomb-shaped curved serrated teeth with deep notches on the outer margin. The color of the tiger sharks can vary from bluish or greenish gray on the dorsal side and black or light gray to dirty yellow or white on the ventral side.

Adaptation

Despite being a slow swimming shark, the tiger shark compensates for this low mobility by being capable of fast bursts of energy or powerful swimming when tracking prey. They are able to achieve this through the pectoral and caudal fins that serve as the main factors in mobility. The dorsal fins assist the shark in changing direction. Also similar to other species of shark, the tiger sharks have vibration detectors along their sides that enable them to detect movement in the water. Also, their teeth are designed to hold and tear into prey.

Feeding

The tiger sharks can eat anything and are not diet specific predators. They have been known to consume a wide variety of marine prey and even certain terrestrial animals. Some of the known prey of tiger sharks includes crabs, shellfish, lobsters, squid, bony fish, small sharks, rays, porpoises, turtles, marine birds and mammals. Moreover, several inorganic items related to humans have also been discovered in the belly of the tiger sharks. They are regarded as the most adaptable of all shark species due to their broad range of prey.

Habitat

The tiger shark is usually found in tropical and warm temperate waters. They can likewise be seen inhabiting both oceanic waters and also shallow waters. However, it seems they prefer turbid coastal areas where fresh water runoff take place because different prey congregates in this environment to feed. They are found abundantly in the Caribbean region, North American beaches, as well as the Gulf of Mexico. In the ocean, they are found at an average depths of about 1100 feet and some have been discovered at a depth of about 3000 feet. Meanwhile, in the shallow waters, they have been found at a depth between 20 and 40 feet.

Reproduction

The tiger sharks engage in ovoviviparous modes of reproduction. They are known to give birth to a large number of litters. The female may bear up to 35 to 55 pups in a single litter. The gestation period is believed to be up to 16 months. The maturity period of the males and females is between 4 and 7 years. In addition, the females attain sexual maturity when they reach a size of 8 feet, while the males reach sexual maturity at a body length of 7.5 feet. A healthy tiger shark pup is expected to be about 30 inches long.

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