The third in the trio of most dangerous shark species is the Tiger Shark. being one of the largest sharks in the world, they can grow up to 18 ft. long and weigh as much as 1,400 pounds! Tiger Sharks can also live to 15 years and up to 50 years in the wild, and their pregnancies last roughly 16 months. Due to this, they only mate every 2 to 3 years and have anywhere from 20 to 90 babies. Tigers are also a solitary species, only grouping up during the mating season.
Tiger Sharks are named for their black stripes running vertically across their body, giving them a telltale pattern of a tiger. They even prefer murky water, using these stripes as camouflage to aid their hunting. They are often seen near or at the surface around large island chains, coral atolls and even the lagoons off the coast of islands. Though they prefer shallower waters they have also been recorded at depths of up to 350 meters.
Tiger Sharks have a special organ called the “ampullae of Lorenzini”, which detects electrical impulses created by moving objects in the water, helping them hunt even when visibility is very low. Adding to this organ, Tigers also have an acute sense of smell, to increase their efficiency while hunting.
One of the most aggressive sharks in the world, they will attack just about anything on sight, from dolphin, fish, turtles, stingrays, and even license plates or old tires! Due to their voracious feeding habits Tiger Sharks are aptly nicknamed “wastebaskets of the sea.”
Like many other sharks, Tigers are hunted for their meat, fins, oils, jaws, skin, liver (to produce an oil which is rich in vitamin A) and even their thick skin which was used in traditional Hawaiian drums. Due to this, they have been listed as Near Threatened.
Conservation efforts have helped to raise awareness as to reduce and even end fishing for sharks, and if you would like to learn more you can visit here.
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