Habitat of a Tiger Shark

The depths of the oceans hold an amazing range of sea creatures, which tell us the story about the kind of life that is found beneath the surface of the water. Amongst the many creatures found, sharks are probably the most feared of the whole lot. Here, we shall take a look at Tiger sharks and what makes them truly distinctive from the rest of the species.

Tiger Sharks have been given their name due to the distinct dark stripes that are seen on the gray colored back. The tiger shark is also known as the second largest predatory shark after the great white shark. One of the reasons probably to it being the most feared may rest solely due to the fact that tiger sharks can eat almost anything that comes it its way with no regards to the nutrition factor. Check out some of these interesting facts related to the habitat, diet and other such factors associated with Tiger sharks.

Habitat of a Tiger Shark:
Tiger sharks are mainly found in tropical and sub-tropical waters but at times these sharks are also known to reside in temperate waters as well. The tiger sharks are found close to the coast but generally, are known to prefer deep waters especially close to the reef. Studies have revealed that Tiger sharks have been recorded also at a depth of 350 meters. This does not mean that Tiger sharks are not found in shallow waters! Although there may be specific areas that have shallow water, which may not be considered to be adequately proportional to the size of the Tiger sharks, these sharks are known to inhabit such shallow waters as well. Many Tiger sharks are known to appear in some river estuaries. Studies have revealed yet another habit of the Tiger sharks- during the winter months these are known to stay in areas that are closer to the equator. When in the search of prey, Tiger sharks tend to pursue them and are sometimes found as far as Japan or even New Zealand.

Description of the Tiger Sharks:
As mentioned earlier, the Tiger Sharks have dark stripes, which are predominant in juvenile sharks. These marking gradually fade away as they mature. Their skin shows shades of bluish green to sometimes a lighter yellow on the undersides. These are excellent swimmers and one of the reasons for this remains that the head is wedge shaped which enables them to turn at an amazing speed to any side. Tiger sharks are known to hunt at nighttime in the darkness and this possible due to the presence of electrical sensors, which helps them to know about movements of other creatures in the dark.

Diet of the Tiger Sharks:
Known for gulping down anything that comes in its way, the Tiger sharks feed on a variety of food such as fish squids, other species of sharks and turtles as well. There are a number of factors that enables the tiger shark to devour their prey easily. Tiger sharks are excellent swimmers when in pursuit of a prey. Besides, they also have excellent eyesight combined with a strong sense of smell that enables it to locate traces of blood in water! The reason why it is also the most feared is due to its aggressive nature. Tiger sharks are also known to swallow objects such as cans and tires when in a hurry to attack and devour its prey.

Reproduction of the Tiger Sharks:
The mating season for the Tiger sharks occurs in the months of March and May. Generally, a female can give birth to a large number of pups ranging from 10 to 80! The sexual maturity is seen at different stages for the male and female Tiger sharks. When the males reach the size of 2.26 meters, they are considered to reach sexual maturity where as females mature at 2.5 meters. Breeding is done through the process of internal fertilization. A newly born baby Tiger shark is generally 51 centimeters in length.