Sharks are species of fish characterized by having a cartilaginous-type skeletal structure. A terrifying idea has been built around these animals that, in many cases, exceeds reality. Indeed, there are species of sharks that can be highly dangerous for people, but there are also many others that are not. In this page of our site we present the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier), an apex predator of the marine ecosystems where it lives. Read on and find out the most interesting facts about this shark.
Tiger Shark Characteristics
The tiger shark is one of the largest sharks within the chondrichthyan group. These animals, as adults, measure between 3 and 5 meters and weigh around 380 and even 600 kg, although there are heavier individuals. The females are smaller than the males. The coloration of the skin can be blue or green, with a light yellow or white belly. Its name, associated with a feline, is due to the presence of some stripes similar to those of the tiger, which tend to dissipate with age.
This shark's head is flat, with large eyes and a blunt nose. It has well-developed labial folds, with large, sharp teeth with serrated edges, which makes it easy for it to break or tear its victims with some ease. The body is thicker at the front and tapers towards the back. The dorsal fin is well developed and has a pointed shape. The front fins are wide and curved backwards, while the tail fin is characterized by having a larger upper lobe than the lower one. In addition, it has four other smaller rear fins.
The tiger shark moves by making movements in the form of that and tends to move constantly. Perceives the environment through highly developed senses, for example, the organs known as ampullae of Lorenzini, located in the nose and made up of a jelly-like substance that receives the electromagnetic signals emitted by other animals, allowing it to locate them.
Additionally, these structures are useful for sensing changes in water pressure and temperature. On the other hand, they have other sensory structures known as lateral lines, which are located on each side of the body and are used to detect movement in the water, mainly caused by Other animals. Read our article about the curiosities of sharks if you want to learn more about the peculiarities of these animals.
Tiger Shark Habitat
The tiger shark is a cosmopolitan species, that is, distributed throughout marine ecosystems in America, Africa, Asia, Oceania and some islands of Europe. It is distributed in tropical and subtropical waters in the regions mentioned. It is usually found in areas near the coast and with the presence of seagrasses, coral reefs or slopes. As for the depth range, it is common for it to be in water levels of about 100 meters. However, it can also move to areas far from the coast and to much deeper areas, since it has been proven that it is capable of submerging to a little more than 1000 meters.
Tiger Shark Customs
Tiger sharks are solitary and mainly nocturnal in feeding habits. They only group for the moment of reproduction or when they coincide in feeding areas with the presence of enough prey. Despite not having gregarious customs, there is a hierarchical role that is exercised by older individuals.
Tiger Shark Feeding
The tiger shark is a species that is found at the top of the food webs of the ecosystems where it develops. It is a superpredator that is distinguished by being able to devour practically anything it wants, even large human waste that reaches the seas. Its diet is quite varied and includes birds, various marine mammals, other fish, snakes, turtles, which it breaks the shell with its powerful teeth, and molluscs. It also consumes carrion and can attack and eat injured whales. It is precisely in the presence of prey such as a whale or its remains that these animals can congregate. As you can see, despite their bad reputation, sharks don't eat people.
Tiger sharks hunt using a stalking technique rather than attacks that involve excessive use of force and speed. Their coloration helps them to camouflage themselves in a very efficient way, thanks to which they can surprise their prey. In this sense, these sharks are highly perceptive and sensitive to what is happening around them, which greatly favors them for their hunting actions. When they feed in a group they tend to emit electromagnetic signals to show their hierarchy. In this way, the older ones feed first and, once satisfied, the younger ones approach the rest of the food.
Tiger Shark Reproduction
These sharks do not form pairs, so both males and females can have several partners in the course of their lives. The tiger shark is a species viviparous lecithotrophic, that is, the young, before they are born, feed on the yolk contained in the egg. Sexual maturity correlates with the size of the animal, so that males reach it when they measure about 3 meters and females at 3.45, approximately. The females carry out their reproductive process every three years, generating litters of between 10 and up to 80 pups, after a period of 16 month gestation
There are differences in the breeding season depending on the region where the species is found. The females that live in the north mate between March and May, while those in the south do so from November to January. In both cases they will give birth the following year, for which they will look for a protected area, although after the birth the mother does not provide protection or food to the calf, since she is born ready to fend for herself
Tiger Shark Conservation Status
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the tiger shark is considered near threatened, with a decreasing population trend. The main threat to the species is intentional and accidental capture by fishing nets. In the first case, it is due to the growing demand for shark fins, in addition to the consumption of cartilage, liver oil and skin. Unfortunately, there are no more global conservation programs that protect the species than some isolated actions in certain regions, which do not prohibit its capture, but only regulate the quantities in which it can be fished.
