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    Sand tiger shark

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    May look like villains, but in truth, they’re peaceful giants of the sea

    Matthew Paulson








      Saved In:


    Sand tiger shark

    EXEWCRENVUNTLCDDNE

    May look like villains, but in truth, they’re peaceful giants of the sea

    Population
    >80% decline over the past 74 years

    Found in warm and temperate coastal waters across the Atlantic, Indian, and western Pacific Oceans, it is instantly recognizable by its bulky body, pointed snout, and rows of long, jagged teeth that stick out even when its mouth is shut. This gives it a fearsome, “snarling” grin that has earned it a bad reputation in myths and movies. But in reality, the sand tiger shark is surprisingly calm and slow-moving, posing little danger to humans unless provoked.

    Unlike most sharks that must keep swimming to avoid sinking, sand tigers gulp air at the water’s surface and hold it in their stomachs. This clever adaptation allows them to hover almost motionlessly in the water, drifting through reefs and shipwrecks like ghostly figures. Divers often describe them as eerie but mesmerizing, gliding slowly with their toothy smiles.

    The sand tiger shark is also famous for its extraordinary reproductive strategy. Female sharks have two uteri, and although many embryos may start to develop, only one pup survives in each uterus. This is because the strongest embryo eats its siblings in the womb, a process called intrauterine cannibalism. While it sounds gruesome, it ensures that the surviving pups are born larger, stronger, and ready to survive in the open ocean. This strategy, however, means that sand tiger sharks reproduce very slowly, with females giving birth to just two pups at a time. This low reproductive rate makes them especially vulnerable to overfishing and population decline.

    Despite their scary looks, they are considered one of the most docile large sharks, and divers often swim among them safely. In aquariums, they are among the most popular shark species because of their dramatic appearance and ability to hover gracefully.

    Distribution

    Country
    Population est.
    Status
    Year
    Comments
    Atlantic Ocean
    2020
    Indian ocean
    2020
    Pacific ocean
    2020
    Black sea
    2020
    Mediterranean Sea
    2020
    Albania
    2020
    Algeria
    2020
    Angola
    2020
    Argentina
    2020
    Australia
    2020
    Bahamas
    2020
    Bahrain
    2020
    Benin
    2020
    Bosnia And Herz.
    2020
    Brazil
    2020
    Cambodia
    2020
    Cameroon
    2020
    Cape Verde
    2020
    China
    2020
    Congo-Brazzaville
    2020
    Croatia
    2020
    Côte D’ivoire
    2020
    DR Congo (Kinshasa)
    2020
    Egypt
    2020
    Eritrea
    2020
    France
    2020
    Corsica
    Gambia
    2020
    Ghana
    2020
    Greece
    2020
    Guinea-Bissau
    2020
    India
    2020
    Indonesia
    2020
    Iran
    2020
    Iraq
    2020
    Israel
    2020
    Italy
    2020
    Japan
    2020
    Korea
    2020
    Kuwait
    2020
    Libya
    2020
    Malta
    2020
    Mauritania
    2020
    Montenegro
    2020
    Morocco
    2020
    Mozambique
    2020
    Myanmar
    2020
    Namibia
    2020
    Nigeria
    2020
    North Korea
    2020
    Oman
    2020
    Pakistan
    2020
    Papua New Guinea
    2020
    Qatar
    2020
    Saudi Arabia
    2020
    Senegal
    2020
    Slovenia
    2020
    South Africa
    2020
    Spain
    2020
    Canary Is.
    Sudan
    2020
    Taiwan
    2020
    Tanzania
    2020
    Thailand
    2020
    Togo
    2020
    Tunisia
    2020
    UAE
    2020
    United States
    2020
    Uruguay
    2020
    Vietnam
    2020
    Yemen
    2020

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    Get to know me

    Terrestrial / Aquatic

    Altricial / Precocial

    Polygamous / Monogamous

    Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic

    Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

    Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd

    Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

    Migratory: Yes / No

    Domesticated: Yes / No

    Dangerous: Yes / No

    EXEWCRENVUNTLCDDNE
    Critically endangered(IUCN)
    World Population

    >80% decline over the past 74 years


    Honorary Patron: BioDB
    Become a Patron

    Threats

    Habitat destruction / Climate change / Freshwater pollution / Marine pollution / Deforestation / Farming / Fishing practices / Poaching & wildlife trade / Invasive species / Parasites & diseases / Noise pollution / Light pollution

    My ID

    Scientific name: Carcharias taurus Other names:

    Gray nurse shark
    Grey nurse shark
    Blue-nurse sand tiger
    Spotted ragged-tooth shark

    Physical traits

    Length: 2 – 3 m (7 – 11 ft) Weight: 91 – 159 kg (201 – 351 pounds) Lifespan: 15 – 40 years Gestation: 8 – 12 months Offspring: One pup Pregnancies: Every 2 – 3 years
    Habitats: Marine Deep sea
    Regions: Indian ocean Africa Pacific ocean Asia Atlantic Ocean Europe North America Oceania South America
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