What Do You Think is the Habitat of a Tiger Shark? Check This Out

Meet the Tiger Shark

The tiger shark is given the scientific name Galeocerdo cuvier. It is called the 'tiger' shark because of the distinct dark stripes on its gray-colored back. It is the second-largest predatory shark after the great white shark, and is popularly known as the 'sea tiger'.

Classification

The classification of the tiger shark is as follows:

• Class: Chondrichthyes
• Subclass: Elasmobranchii
• Order: Carcharhiniformes
• Family: Carcharhinidae
• Genus: Galeocerdo
• Scientific Name: Galeocerdo cuvier

Distribution

The tiger shark is found in oceans all around the world. Here is a breakdown of where it has been spotted:

Atlantic Ocean

Eastern Region: Iceland, Morocco, United Kingdom, Mediterranean Islands, Canary Islands, Ivory Coast, and more.
Western Region: Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Caribbean Islands, Uruguay, and more.

Pacific Ocean

Eastern Region: Peru, Galapagos, California (south), and more.
Western Region: China, Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Philippines, Japan, and more.
Central Region: Tahiti, Hawaii, Solomon Islands, Palau, and more.

Habitat

Tiger sharks prefer warm, tropical and subtropical (or sometimes temperate) waters. Their habitat mainly consists of deep offshore water, but they are also known to swim into shallow waters when chasing prey.

Scientists believe tiger sharks migrate toward the equator in colder months. However, they are not sure whether this happens because of the changing seasons or because other sea animals (the shark's prey) are also migrating at that time.

The average depth where you'll find this shark is around 350 meters (1,150 feet). Some individuals have been recorded living as deep as 900 meters (about 3,000 feet). But there have also been sightings in water as shallow as 10 to 20 feet when the shark is hunting, very shallow for an animal that size.

Tiger sharks also appear in river estuaries and murky coastal waters. More than anything else, what draws them to a location is food. They don't follow a regular feeding pattern either, they may return to the same spot after weeks or months, or not at all.

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Physical Description

This shark weighs between 850 to 1,400 pounds (385 to 635 kg). Its length is usually between 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13.8 feet). Bigger sharks can grow as long as 5 meters (17 feet) and weigh up to 2,000 pounds (900 kg). Females are known to be larger than males.

Tiger sharks have dark stripes that are especially vivid in young sharks. These markings gradually fade as the animal gets older. The skin shows shades of bluish-green, sometimes with a lighter yellow on the undersides.

The tiger shark is an excellent swimmer. One reason is its wedge-shaped head, which allows it to swing quickly to either side. Its teeth are sharp and powerful enough to tear through a tortoise shell.

It also has sensory organs called lateral lines running down both sides of its body. These detect vibrations in the water, helping the shark sense nearby movement. On its snout are tiny sensors called ampullae of Lorenzini. These pick up even the weakest electric impulses given off by living creatures, giving the shark a remarkable ability to find prey.

Diet

The tiger shark is known for eating almost anything that crosses its path. Its diet includes squids, jellyfish, many types of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, sea snakes, seals, dolphins, sea turtles, sea lions, rays, other shark species, and even sea birds. Several things help it catch and eat its prey.

When chasing prey, it is a powerful swimmer. It also has excellent eyesight and a strong sense of smell that can pick up traces of blood in the water. The tiger shark has even been known to swallow non-food objects like cans and tires when it attacks quickly and doesn't distinguish. Due to its large size, it needs to eat a lot to survive.

You can read more about how pilot fish follow sharks for a fascinating look at other ocean creatures that live alongside sharks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does a tiger shark live?

Tiger sharks prefer warm tropical and subtropical ocean waters. They live in deep offshore water but come into shallow coastal areas to hunt.

How deep do tiger sharks swim?

They are most commonly found at around 350 meters (1,150 feet) deep. Some have been recorded as deep as 900 meters (3,000 feet), but they also enter water as shallow as 10-20 feet when hunting.

What does a tiger shark eat?

Tiger sharks eat almost anything: fish, squid, jellyfish, crustaceans, sea turtles, seals, dolphins, sea lions, rays, sea birds, and even non-food objects like cans and tires.

Why is it called a tiger shark?

The tiger shark gets its name from the dark vertical stripes on its gray back, similar to a tiger's stripes. The markings are most vivid in young sharks and fade as they grow.

Reproduction

The mating season happens in March and May in the Southern Hemisphere, and between November and early January in the Northern Hemisphere. A female tiger shark can give birth to a large number of pups, anywhere from 10 to 80 at a time.

Males and females reach sexual maturity at different sizes. Males mature when they reach 2.26 meters in length, while females mature at 2.5 meters. Breeding happens through internal fertilization. The gestation period is 14 to 16 months.

Tiger sharks are ovoviviparous. This means the eggs form and develop inside the female's body. She does not lay eggs, instead, the eggs hatch internally and the pups are born fully developed. The pups can be up to 1.5 meters long at birth.

During mating, the male shark holds the female's back in his jaw to keep her still. This is painful for the female, which is why females mate only once every three years.

Explore More Animals

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