Tiger Shark

Tiger Shark facts at a glance

What is a group of tiger sharks called?

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Appearance and identification

The tiger shark takes its name from the dark vertical stripes along its flanks, boldest in juveniles and fading as the animal matures. It has a broad, blunt snout, a heavy body, and distinctive serrated, cockscomb-shaped teeth that can shear through bone and turtle shell. Adults commonly reach 3 to 5 m, with exceptional individuals larger still, and can weigh up to around 600 kg. Its blue-grey to greenish upper body over a pale belly is typical countershading that hides it from prey above and below.

Diet and feeding

Tiger sharks have one of the most varied diets of any shark, earning a reputation as the ocean's scavengers. They hunt fish, sea turtles, seabirds, seals, rays, and smaller sharks, and readily take carrion and injured animals. Their strong, serrated teeth let them tackle hard-shelled prey such as turtles that most predators cannot handle. They are also notorious for swallowing indigestible rubbish, and stomach contents have included tyres, licence plates, and other human debris.

Habitat and range

Tiger sharks live in warm and tropical waters worldwide, from shallow coastal shelves and river mouths to the open ocean. They favour murky inshore waters, reefs, and lagoons, but range widely and undertake long seasonal migrations across thousands of kilometres. Satellite tracking has shown individuals crossing entire ocean basins between feeding and breeding areas. They tend to move into shallower water at night to hunt and retreat to deeper water by day.

Reproduction and young

Tiger sharks are ovoviviparous: the eggs develop and hatch inside the mother, which then gives birth to live, fully formed pups. Litters are unusually large for a shark, often numbering several dozen and sometimes many more. The young, typically 50 to 75 cm at birth, are independent immediately and receive no parental care. This slow-maturing species takes years to reach breeding age, which makes its populations vulnerable to overfishing.

Behaviour and movement

Tiger sharks are mostly solitary and cover huge distances with a slow, energy-efficient cruising swim. They are capable of sudden acceleration, reaching bursts of up to 32 km/h (20 mph) when striking at prey. Highly sensitive electroreceptors and a keen sense of smell let them detect struggling or wounded animals from a distance. Largely nocturnal hunters, they patrol tirelessly and investigate almost anything they encounter.

Conservation and threats

The tiger shark is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN, with numbers declining in many regions. It is caught both deliberately and as bycatch, targeted for its fins, skin, liver oil, and flesh, and killed in shark-control programmes near popular beaches. Its late maturity and slow reproduction mean populations recover only slowly once depleted. Reducing targeted fishing and bycatch is central to keeping the species stable.

Did you know? Tiger Shark facts

• The tiger shark is a large predatory shark of warm coastal and open waters worldwide, named for the dark vertical stripes on young animals.
• Young tiger sharks have dark vertical bars along their bodies that resemble a tiger's stripes. These markings fade as the shark grows older and larger.
• Tiger sharks have an extremely varied diet that includes fish, seals, sea turtles, seabirds, dolphins, rays, and other sharks, and they sometimes swallow inedible debris.
• Tiger sharks are among the species most often involved in bites on people, but attacks are still rare. Their size, power, and broad diet make caution sensible in areas where they are common.
• Tiger sharks commonly reach 3 to 5 m (10 to 16 ft) long, and exceptional individuals can grow larger and weigh several hundred kilograms.
• Conservation: Near Threatened (IUCN).

Diet & feeding

Tiger Shark feeds primarily as a carnivore (highly varied). Tiger sharks have one of the most varied diets of any shark, eating fish, seals, sea turtles, seabirds, dolphins, rays, and other sharks. They are also notorious for swallowing indigestible objects, which is why they are sometimes called the garbage cans of th

Adaptations

• Tiger sharks are mostly solitary, nocturnal hunters that patrol large areas of coastline and open water, moving between deep and shallow habitats. Young tiger sharks have bold dark stripes that fade as they mature, giving the species its name. They have powerful, serrated teeth capable of cutting through tough material such as sea turtle shells.
• Tiger sharks have one of the most varied diets of any shark, eating fish, seals, sea turtles, seabirds, dolphins, rays, and other sharks. They are also notorious for swallowing indigestible objects, which is why they are sometimes called the garbage cans of the sea. This broad diet lets them thrive in many habitats and adapt to changing prey.

Behaviour & ecology

• Tiger sharks are mostly solitary, nocturnal hunters that patrol large areas of coastline and open water, moving between deep and shallow habitats. Young tiger sharks have bold dark stripes that fade as they mature, giving the species its name. They have powerful, serrated teeth capable of cutting through tough material such as sea turtle shells.
• Tiger sharks have one of the most varied diets of any shark, eating fish, seals, sea turtles, seabirds, dolphins, rays, and other sharks. They are also notorious for swallowing indigestible objects, which is why they are sometimes called the garbage cans of the sea. This broad diet lets them thrive in many habitats and adapt to changing prey.
• Tiger sharks live in tropical and warm-temperate seas around the world, from shallow reefs and lagoons to the open ocean. They often move into coastal waters at night to hunt and retreat to deeper water during the day. Some individuals make long migrations between feeding areas across entire ocean basins.

Communication

• Lateral-line and visual cues coordinate schooling, courtship, or territorial behaviour.
• Some species produce low-frequency sounds or drumming for spawning or defence.

Habitat & range

Warm coastal and open tropical seas

Ecological role

Tiger Shark acts as a predator that helps regulate prey populations and maintain balance in warm coastal and open tropical seas.

Conservation status of the Tiger Shark

Sources & references

This guide is compiled and reviewed against established zoological and conservation references. Key sources for the Tiger Shark:

• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

  Conservation status (Near Threatened) reflects the IUCN Red List category for Galeocerdo cuvier.

• IUCN Red List — Galeocerdo cuvier.

  Conservation status (Near Threatened) and population trends.

• Animal Diversity Web — Galeocerdo cuvier. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

  Life history, morphology, and range.

• Wikipedia — Tiger Shark.

  General taxonomy and overview (cross-check primary sources).

• Global Animal Guide editorial standards

  How we research, source, review, and update every guide for accuracy.