Tiger Shark

It was late at night when Peter decided to go for a walk on the beach. He knew that staying at home would only make things worse. Every time he walked in through the door, he could smell her perfume and feel her presence. He hadn’t been able to forget her; she haunted him every moment of his life, reminding him again and again how foolish he had been to force her to go out swimming in the dark waters that day!

Tiger Shark - An Introduction

Tiger sharks belong to the kingdom - anamilia, family - carcharhinidae and phylum - chordata. Galeocerdo cuvier or tiger sharks, are so called because of the dark, vertical stripes that are found mainly on juveniles. As time passes and these sharks mature, the stripes begin to fade and almost disappear.

The tiger shark is the only member of the genus - galeocerdo and is one of the largest predatory sharks and is notorious for attacking divers, swimmers and surfers in Hawaii. The average size of a mature shark is 3.25 to 4.25 meters and it weighs 385 to 909 kg’s. This shark likes to hunt alone and usually does so at night.

Sadly, tiger sharks are harvested for their skin, fins, flesh and liver and are listed as near threatened throughout their range.

Location

Tiger sharks can be found in tropical and sub-tropical waters. These sharks have been found as far north as Japan and as far south as New Zealand in the western Pacific Ocean. Tiger sharks can stay in deep waters that are 1,100 feet deep but are also known to move into shallow waters such as river estuaries and harbors. During the colder months, tiger sharks can be found closer to the equator.

Appearance

Tiger sharks have wedge-shaped heads, which make it easy for them to turn quickly to one side. Like all sharks, these sharks also have small pits on the sides of their upper bodies which hold electrical sensors that are referred to as the ampullae of lorenzini. These sensors help them detect small muscle movement of other creatures, thus helping them hunt in the dark! Apart from this, tiger sharks also have a mirror-like covering behind their retina. This covering is called the tapetum lucidum, and it helps the shark view things better.

These sharks have long fins and a long upper tail too. The long fins help the shark maneuver itself through water, while the long tail provides bursts of speed. Tiger sharks have flat, triangular, notched and serrated teeth. Sharks are blessed with these teeth to enable them to cut through turtle shells and even bone.

Diet

The most common food of the tiger shark constitute squids, birds, seals, common fish, sea turtles and other sharks. Apart from the food mentioned above, tiger sharks have gained a reputation of eating anything they have access to. Various features that this shark is blessed with make it a good hunter. Tiger sharks circle and study their prey. These sharks devour all of its prey when attacking. As this shark has a very aggressive feeding nature, foreign objects such as petroleum cans, tires, suits and baseballs cab be found inside its digestive tract.

Reproduction

In the Northern hemisphere, mating usually takes place between the months of March and May. In this case, the young tiger sharks are born around April or June the following year. In the Southern hemisphere, mating takes place in the months of November, December or early January.

The female tiger shark reaches sexual maturity at 2.5 to 3.25 meters whereas the male does so at 2.26 to 2.9 meters. Tiger sharks breed by internal fertilization and like mammals give birth to live young. Reproduction happens when the male tiger shark inserts the sperm into the female, holding her still with his teeth.

Young tiger sharks are nourished inside the mother’s body for about 14 to 16 months. Newborn tiger sharks are usually 51 centimeters to 76 centimeters long.