Newborn pups measure around
80 centimetresTIGER SHARK
OrcaSPOTS AND STRIPES
Tiger sharks are born with a distinctive
and prominent spotted pattern that then
develops into dark stripes and eventually
fade as the animal grows. This shading
serves as camouflage to help protect
juveniles until they mature and are safe
from potential predatorsREPRODUCTION
This is the only species of the family
Carcharhinidae that is ovoviviparous,
producing eggs that are hatched within
the body so the young are born alive but
without a placental attachment. Litter sizes
are large, with between 10–80 pups that
average 80 centimetres long and weigh
3–6 kilograms. The gestation period
is 13–16 months and females give birth
once every three yearsTurtle SeabirdBony Fish SharkCrustaceanSpotted Eagle RayDIET
This species has the most diverse diet
of any shark species and is known to
consume a variety of different marine life.
Prey includes bony fish, turtles, birds,
cephalopods, crustaceans and other
sharks and rays. Their willingness to eat
almost anything means they often consume
garbage of human origin. Some items found
inside tiger sharks include: metal cans, car
number plates, plastic bottles, and clothing.
Curious individuals in the Bahamas have
even been known to occasionally swim off
with underwater cameras!PREDATORS
The biggest threat to juveniles are other
sharks, including their own species.
Fully mature adults have no such concerns
and are considered apex predators.
The only animal that has ever been
recorded predating on large tiger sharks
are groups of orcasMaximum SizeCommon LengthMaximum Weight7.5 metres5 metres807 kilogrammesSCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION
Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Chondrichthyes
Subclass : Elasmobranchii
Superorder : Selachimorpha
Order : Carcharhiniformes
Family : Carcharhinidae
Genus : Galeocerdo
Species : G. cuvierCONSERVATION STATUS
Extinct Threatened Near ThreatenedEXEWCRENVUNTLCOctopusSea Snake