The Tiger Shark
Galeocerdo cuvier
Known for the extraordinary amount of strange and bizarre items pulled from their stomachs, Tigers Sharks are almost entirely responsible for the saying that sharks are the “trash cans of the sea”. Tiger Sharks get their common name from the striped tiger-like bars that are found along the shark’s body; these stripes are more prominent in younger individuals and will fade as the shark ages. It’s likely that the younger juvenile Tiger Sharks use their stripes as camouflage to prevent predation.
Colors of Tiger Sharks range from brown, olive, gray, and black on their topside. Female Tiger Sharks have large litters of 10 to 82 pups and gestation lasts between 15 to 16 months. Tiger Sharks are found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters and are regarded as a coastal species but have been found at depths of 1,000 ft. They are known to tolerate a variety of habitats from lagoons, atolls, jetties, and estuaries. Tiger Sharks can grow to be very large, with a more common size of around 11 to 14 ft in length and a max size of 18 ft in length. The largest Tiger Shark ever recorded was a female caught in 1957 that was 24 ft in length.
Likely having the most varied diet of any shark species, Tiger Sharks will eat almost anything they can sink their teeth into. Including bony fish, other sharks, rays, crustaceans, octopus, squid, sea turtles, marine mammals, sea birds, jellyfish, and even sea snakes. The Tiger Sharks varied diet is mostly due to its wide powerful jaws and unique asymmetrical teeth. The teeth of these animals are similar in both the upper and lower jaws and are serrated with a prominent cusp that causes the teeth to curve at an angle, this tooth design allows Tiger Sharks to break through the shells or tough skin of prey. This means Tiger Sharks can prey on marine turtles much more effectively than any other shark species.
Tiger Sharks are notorious for swallowing an incredible variety of strange objects, both edible and inedible. It’s likely that in order to adapt to nutrient poor habitats, Tiger Sharks will eat anything they can swallow. Some of the strange items found in the stomachs of Tiger Sharks include a rubber tire, a bag of potatoes, driftwood, beer bottles, boat cushions, an empty wallet, old pants, explosives, and of course a car’s license plate. Tigers Sharks are considered to be among one of the most dangerous shark species to humans, but once again you’re more likely to be killed by a jellyfish, than a shark.