By. Crystal S. Kauffman, Contributing Writer

Where do they live?

This type of shark can be found living and hunting in the world’s coastal waters. They prefer murky water and can be found in many different places. They have been found in rivers, estuaries, harbors, and lagoons. The tiger shark likes a warmer climate, so it can be found near Hawaii, but they have found near Iceland and the United Kingdom. Tiger sharks have excellent eye sight and generally prefer to hunt for its prey at night.

What do they look like?

This species shark can be identified by the shark’s blunt nose and the dorsal fin is noticeably close to its tail. Juvenile Tiger Sharks have different colored dark vertical stripes that look similar the majestic Bengal Tiger’s stripes. However, these markings begin to lighten up in color, as the shark matures into a fully grown adult. These types of sharks or the Galeocerdo Cuvier species of shark can reproduce.

How do they reproduce?

The female Tiger Shark will have large litter of pups or babies once they have mature in to the adult stage. The pups are about 1-2 feet long, which is really small compared to how big they eventually get. Unfortunately, the babies are left to fend for themselves. Since, once they are born become independent of the mother immediately. Additionally, according to the NOAA (2012) the female shark can have 35 to 55 pups in one litter.

How big can it get?

According to National Geographic (2012), the average adult tiger shark can reach 20-25 feet. They can weigh up to 1,900 pounds, which is as the same weight of a boat. The Tiger Shark can be as long as its cousin the Great White, but the Great White is has a heavier mass.   According to NOAA (2012) it takes about 12-18 years for a tiger shark mature into an adult. This is due to how slow the shark grows each year.

What do they eat?

The Tiger Shark prefers to hunt it’s pray at night and retreat to deeper waters during the day. They will literally eat anything, even garbage from the sea floor. However, these sharks will eat other sharks, squids, seas snakes, or fish. This fierce hunter prefers to hunt at night; due to the sharks amazing sense of smell. The tiger shark has sensitive smell receptors, which can be found all over their body.

What are their nicknames?

These terrifying creatures have earned the nick name waste basket of the sea, due to their unusual diet. According to Sharks-World (2012) this type of shark is a will eat other sharks, fish, and other animals, as well as eat garbage from the ocean floor like “pieces of boats, license plates, and old tires”. This shark is also nicknamed man-eater because they are known for attacking unsuspecting swimmers and animals like dogs that swim with their owner.

Are they being hunted?

The Tiger Shark is not on the endangered list, but the population is being threatened due to being hunted and killed for many reasons. These sharks are being killed due the danger that they pose to humans in Hawaii. However, they are also being killed for their body parts and organs. According to National Geographic (2012), the Tiger Sharks liver has a high concentrate of Vitamin A which is made into vitamin oil. Shark hunters sell their fins, flesh, and skin to different consumers.

Are Tiger Sharks Dangerous?

However, this Apex predator is extremely aggressive, whenever they attack their intended prey. The shark will continue attacking their victim, but a Great White Shark retreats. This fierce hunter will eat anything it can find, whether it is a fish or garbage from the ocean’s floor. The Tiger Shark has an unusual diet, which has helped the shark earn the nick name…waste basket of the sea.

Are they endangered?

The Tiger Shark is not on the endangered list, but the population is being threatened due to being hunted and killed for many reasons. Some are being killed due the danger they pose to humans like in Hawaii, while others are being killed for their body parts or organs. According to National Geographic (2012), the Tiger Sharks liver has a high concentrate of Vitamin A which is made into vitamin oil. Shark hunters cut off their fins, flesh, and skin to sell to different consumers who may want to purchase them.

References:

National Geographic (2012) Tiger Shark

Retrieved on August 16, 2012 from the World Wide Web

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/tiger-shark/


Sharks-World (2012) Facts About Tiger Sharks

Retrieved on August 16, 2012 from the World Wide Web

http://www.sharks-world.com/tiger_shark


NOAA (2012) Tiger Shark

Retrieved on August 16, 2012 from the World Wide Web

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sharks/FS_Tiger.htm

Previously Published

By, Crystal S. Kauffman, Contributing Writer

The basking shark is considered the second largest fish or shark, when compared to the whale shark. According to Sharks-World, this gigantic creature is also known as Cetorhinus Maximus, by scientists and researchers who collect vital information from these animals. Thankfully, they do not prefer to eat humans instead they filter feed, just as the whale shark does. They are slow moving and an unusually large mouth. In which they filter feed.

They are not dangerous to humans, because the giant shark is usually enjoying using its wide mouth to eat plankton. They have gills which filter out the items that they don't want, while allowing them to eat all the plankton that they want. According to Sharks-World, these giant sharks can measure up to 33 feet long and the shark can weigh up to 4 tons. The most common names are the big-mouth shark, sun-fish, bone shark, and elephant shark.

The basking shark enjoys swimming and living in the coastal waters, which are warmer and offer plenty of plankton to snack on. Additionally, these giant sharks may travel alone or in groups of over 100 members, as well as travel with their mate. According to Sharks-World, they tend to stay near the surface, so they can filter feed using their mouth to process 1500 gallons of water each hour. These amazing animals are in need of protection before they become extinct and future generation will never get to see one up close.
 
The commercial fishing industry allows shark hunting for meat and shark liver oils, as well as other valuable parts of the shark that can be sold on the open market. According to Sharks-World, sometimes these giant sharks are mistaken for a great white shark, but the basking shark has smaller eyes and large gills. This shark's mouth is about 3 foot wide, which allows them filter feed using the gill rakes found in the sharks gills that encircle its head.

The sharks don't hibernate but they do migrate to deep waters or other coastal areas, during certain seasons. According to Sharks-World, these sharks vary in colors like blue, white, dark brown, and black which may identifying one a little difficult unless you know what they look like. However, In order to keep the giant sharks from being hunted, we as a generation must try to offer some type of protection now. If not, we will lose all chances of our future generations ever seeing a basking shark, except in school books or the encyclopedia.

References:

Sharks-World.com (2015) Basking Sharks
Retrieved from the World Wide Web on July 16, 2015
http://www.sharks-world.com/basking_shark/

By, Crystal S. Kauffman, Contributing Writer

Whale sharks are a majestic beast, which fascinates scientist and tourist alike, yet many misunderstand this gentle giant. Learning more about this species of shark will help people begin to understand that the whale sharks are not dangerous. According to Shark-World, the whale shark is also known as the Rhincodon typus, which has been confirmed as a largest fish in the entire world. Scientists and tourist have chosen to go scuba diving with these majestic creatures, yet they found them to be docile and nonthreatening to humans.

According to Sharks-World, the whale shark is the largest species of shark in the world, which has been on this planet for millions of years according to scientists. The largest recorded whale shark was 40 feet in length, but some say they have seen whale sharks that are about 60 feet long. They are also known as the largest species of this on earth and can weigh over 20 tons. However, despite their massive size, they are generally known as gentle giants.

A whale sharks mouth is 4 feet wide and they are filter feeders, but their preferred meal is plankton or small fish. According to Sharks-World, the gentle giant prefers to live in warm waters like the ones found in Mexico, tropical seas, and Australia. During the spring, the whale shark migrates to the continental shelf, which is found on the West Coast of the Australian sea. This area of the Australian sea allows the whale shark to find plenty of plankton to eat and thrive on.

The gentle giant has a flattened head and a blunted snout just above its massive mouth, which has short barbels that protrude from its nostrils. According to Sharks-World, the whale sharks body is bigger that a school bus, which makes this gentle giant the biggest fish on the planet. The sharks back and sides are a dark gray to a brownish color with white spots. The gentle giants belly is white and it has two dorsal fins, which are set facing the rear of its body.

The gentle giants have a massive tail, which helps them swim when migrating or just hunting the food they crave like plankton. According to Sharks-World, these gentle giants are considered to be a threatened or vulnerable species, but they are still hunted in Asia and the Philippines. These giant sharks are docile and will allow a swimmer to interact with them, as well as hitching a ride. It is up to us and future generations to help save this majestic creature from becoming extinct.

References:

Sharks-World.com (2015) Whale Shark

Retrieved on the World Wide Web on July 16, 2015

http://www.sharks-world.com/whale_shark/