Tiger Shark

HOW TO IDENTIFY A TIGER SHARK

The tiger shark can be readily indentified by its cockscomb-shaped, serrated teeth, which are recurvate and deeply notched on the inner margin. They teeth are the same in both jaws. The first two of the five gill slits are above the pectoral fin. There is a long, prominent keel along either side of the caudal peduncle. The young characteristically have very prominent, dark brown tiger stripes and leopard spots on the upper body and tail, but adults have less prominent markings.This shark species is reported to be especially dangerous to humans because of its proneness to attack, and its tendency to occur in shallow water where people swim. It is a sluggish swimmer under normal conditions but comes alive in the presence of food which, considering the objects found in the stomachs of captured specimens, can be almost anything. In Australia and Florida this shark has been responsible for many fatal attacks. In just about all of the reported attacks, it was believed that the shark mistakenly attacked swimmers who resembled the tiger shark’s prey. Many divers have reported tiger shark sightings while underwater and most divers have described the tiger sharks’ behavior as quite docile.

WHERE TO CATCH TIGER SHARK

The tiger shark occurs worldwide in tropical and warm temperate seas, but has been found during the summer season as far north as Massachusetts in the western Atlantic and Iceland in the eastern Atlantic. Although there have been reports of tiger sharks in this northern range, this occurrence is very rare. The following list includes additional details on where to catch this fish: