The Tiger Shark

The tiger shark is one of the most deadly sharks in the sea (the title of most deadly goes to the great white shark). The tiger shark get its name because of the dark stripes down its body, although the stripes fade as the shark gets older. Baby tiger sharks usually have darker stripes than adults. You may think the sand tiger shark is related to the tiger shark, but the tiger shark's closest relatives are actually blue, lemon, bull and reef sharks!

Tiger sharks will attack almost anything, including humans! These sharks are found in most of the world's warmer seas and oceans, especially around central Pacific islands, and sometimes swim into rivers. Tiger sharks are typically longer than great white sharks and can grow between 10 and 25 feet long. They have very big heads with blunt snouts used to push prey, large eyes and wide mouths. Tiger sharks are fast swimmers and can reach speeds up to 20 miles per hour in just a few seconds. 

The tiger shark hunting style is to approach its prey slowly and calmly and then suddenly attack. (The bull shark has this same hunting style.) It eats more different types of prey than any other shark, including fish, seals, sea lions, turtles, crabs, sea birds, dolphins, crocodiles, squid, jellyfish and even other sharks. Tiger sharks are awesome predators! Unfortunately, many types of ocean garbage, including tires, oil drums, tools and tin cans, have been found in the stomachs of tiger sharks. 

Female tiger sharks have an average of 35 to 55 babies - or pups - at one time. Some have been known to have 82 pups at once! Tiger sharks are apex predators - which means they have no natural predators. But they have been known to be hunted by pods of killer whales. Tiger shark are a threatened species due to fishing by humans. 

Cool Fact: Sharks do not have moveable upper or lower eyelids, but the tiger shark has a clear eyelid that can cover the eye.