Sand tiger shark

Carcharias taurus

Species Information
Exhibit Name and Location Open Ocean–Main Aquarium, Level 1
Description of Animal Visitors react strongly to this shark! Large in size and with a mouthful of menacing, portruding, spike-like teeth, this shark, like the Great white shark, is the image that most people picture and fear. Although sand tigers can eat just about anything they want (and swallow it whole), like most sharks, they are not known to attack humans. In addition to its teeth and size, this shark has other distinctive features. The snout is narrow and flattened, the two dorsal fins and the anal fin are similar in size, and the upper lobe of the tail is much longer than the lower lobe and has a deep notch near the end. The adult’s body is light brown to gray above and paler below. Young sand tigers often have small, dark spots that may fade as the animals mature.
Aquarist's Note The Sand tiger shark is the only shark known to adjust its buoyancy by burping—gulping and expelling air at the surface. This strategy allows the shark to hover nearly motionless in the water column. Another interesting adaptation gives pups a head start: although several eggs develop at one time, the first two pups to hatch feed on the remaining eggs and embryos while still within the mother. At birth, the surviving one or two pups are already more than 3 feet (1 m) long!
Diet Sand tigers actually eat very little. At the Aquarium, we feed them only about two percent of their body weight each week.
Size Most reliable records for this species give a maximum total length of 10½ feet (3.2 m), although some have reported specimens up to 14 feet (4.3 m). The maximum weight is about 350 pounds (160 kg).
Range Sand tiger sharks are widely distributed in all warm seas except the eastern Pacific. They are found near the surface, in mid-water, and at or near the bottom to depths of 625 feet (190 m).
Population Status Conservation Alert! The Sand tiger shark is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and is a candidate species for the U.S. Endangered Species list. It has one of the lowest reproductive rates known among sharks, giving birth to one or two large pups every two years. As a result, population growth and recovery from over-fishing are slow.
Predators Commercial and sport fisheries take a heavy toll on Sand tiger sharks. The meat is sold fresh, frozen, smoked, dried, and for fishmeal. The liver is used for oil, fins are dried for the shark fin trade, and the hide is used for leather.

Species Information

Exhibit Name and Location
Open Ocean–Main Aquarium, Level 1

Description of Animal

Visitors react strongly to this shark! Large in size and with a mouthful of menacing, portruding, spike-like teeth, this shark, like the Great white shark, is the image that most people picture and fear.

Although sand tigers can eat just about anything they want (and swallow it whole), like most sharks, they are not known to attack humans.

In addition to its teeth and size, this shark has other distinctive features.

The snout is narrow and flattened, the two dorsal fins and the anal fin are similar in size, and the upper lobe of the tail is much longer than the lower lobe and has a deep notch near the end.

The adult’s body is light brown to gray above and paler below. Young sand tigers often have small, dark spots that may fade as the animals mature.

Aquarist's Note

The Sand tiger shark is the only shark known to adjust its buoyancy by burping—gulping and expelling air at the surface. This strategy allows the shark to hover nearly motionless in the water column.

Another interesting adaptation gives pups a head start: although several eggs develop at one time, the first two pups to hatch feed on the remaining eggs and embryos while still within the mother.

At birth, the surviving one or two pups are already more than 3 feet (1 m) long!

Diet
Sand tigers actually eat very little. At the Aquarium, we feed them only about two percent of their body weight each week.

Size

Most reliable records for this species give a maximum total length of 10½ feet (3.2 m), although some have reported specimens up to 14 feet (4.3 m).

The maximum weight is about 350 pounds (160 kg).

Range

Sand tiger sharks are widely distributed in all warm seas except the eastern Pacific.

They are found near the surface, in mid-water, and at or near the bottom to depths of 625 feet (190 m).

Population Status

Conservation Alert! The Sand tiger shark is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and is a candidate species for the U.S. Endangered Species list.

It has one of the lowest reproductive rates known among sharks, giving birth to one or two large pups every two years.

As a result, population growth and recovery from over-fishing are slow.

Predators

Commercial and sport fisheries take a heavy toll on Sand tiger sharks.

The meat is sold fresh, frozen, smoked, dried, and for fishmeal. The liver is used for oil, fins are dried for the shark fin trade, and the hide is used for leather.