Tiger Sharks

Tiger sharks got their name from the dark, vertical stripes found on the juveniles. However, as these sharks grow, their lines begin to fade, and eventually almost disappear. These incredible predators can live for 15 or more years in the wild, grow between 10 to 14 feet, and weigh anywhere between 850 to 1,400 pounds on average.

Diet & Hunting

Tiger sharks have excellent senses of sight and smell, and they consume nearly anything. These predators have highly serrated teeth and incredibly powerful jaws that allow them to crack clam shells and sea turtle shells. They’ve also been known to munch down on sea snakes, stingrays, birds, seals, and squids.

These sharks are aggressive and are infamous for attacking humans. They are second only to the great white sharks in terms of human attacks. However, because they have such broad, undiscerning palates, they’re less likely to swim away after biting a human, like great whites frequently do. Tiger sharks have also been known to eat humanmade objects such as rubber tires, license plates, and paint cans.

Habitat

Tiger sharks are most commonly found in tropical and sub-tropical waters around the world. While adult tiger sharks don’t have any natural predators, the juveniles may be eaten by other sharks, including adult tiger sharks. Because of this, juveniles and adults tend to live in different habitats. Juveniles are generally found in protected bays and estuaries, while the adults stick around the open coast and coral reefs.

Status

Currently, tiger sharks are listed as Near Threatened, with the likelihood of becoming vulnerable in the future. These sharks are harvested for their flesh, fins, and skin. Their livers also contain high levels of vitamin A, which can be processed into vitamin oil. Also, because of their reputation as man-eaters, they are a target of population control efforts in some places, even though scientists do not support that practice.

Interesting Facts

• Some of the largest tiger sharks have been found to grow as much as 20 to 25 feet and weigh over 1,900 pounds!
• The tiger shark is one of the world’s most dangerous sharks, second only to the great white.
• Tiger sharks will migrate to Hawaii every year in June to prey on albatross.
• While tiger sharks typically live in shallow, coastal waters, they have been spotted as deep as 1,150 feet below the surface!
• Tiger sharks might be the only shark species that regularly hunt sea turtles.
• Tiger sharks have notched teeth to help them grasp onto their struggling victims and rip through even the thickest of hides.
• Female tiger sharks give birth to an average of 30 to 35 pups per litter.

At Rock Bottom Charters, we offer shark fishing charters where you have the chance to catch a variety of sharks that live in the Panhandle, including tiger sharks. Our goal is to provide you and your family with the fishing trip of a lifetime!