Wildlife
Tiger sharks have been nicknamed the dustbins of the sea, due to their voracious appetite and reputation for eating anything in their path. They are second to great whites as the record holders of attacks on humans. This is partly due to their occurrence in shallow waters and their indiscriminate feeding habits.
Scientific name: Galeocerdo cuvier
Rank: Species
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Turtle soup
Tiger sharks return to the reef at the same time every year to feast on turtles.
Migrating over 800km, tiger sharks reach Raine Island on the Great Barrier Reef at exactly the same time every year. Their migration is timed to perfection in order to feast on the glut of 26,000 nesting green sea turtles that come here to lay their eggs. Unofficially known as the dustbins of the sea, tiger sharks do not have to waste time hunting live turtles. Instead, they are able to feast on those turtles that die in their attempts to reproduce.
Dolphin defenders
A dolphin family protects a newborn calf from a shark attack.
A dolphin family protects a newborn calf from a shark attack.
Swimming with sharks
While diving with lemon sharks, James Brickell comes across an underwater monster nicknamed 'the bus'.
While diving with lemon sharks, James Brickell comes across an underwater monster nicknamed 'the bus'. James, a diving enthusiast, is a producer for the children's series Deadly 60.
The Tiger shark can be found in a number of locations including: Africa, Australia, China, Great Barrier Reef, Indian subcontinent, South America. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Tiger shark distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Near Threatened
Population trend: Unknown
Year assessed: 2005
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier, is a species of requiem shark and the only member of the genus Galeocerdo. Commonly known as sea tiger, the tiger shark is a relatively large macropredator, capable of attaining a length of over 5 m (16 ft). It is found in many tropical and temperate waters, and it is especially common around central Pacific islands. Its name derives from the dark stripes down its body which resemble a tiger's pattern, which fade as the shark matures.
The tiger shark is a solitary, mostly nocturnal hunter. Its diet includes a wide variety of prey, ranging from crustaceans, fish, seals, birds, squid, turtles, and sea snakes to dolphins and even other smaller sharks. The tiger shark is considered a near threatened species due to finning and fishing by humans.
While the tiger shark is considered to be one of the sharks most dangerous to humans, the attack rate is low according to researchers. The tiger is second on the list of number of recorded attacks on humans, with the great white shark being first. They often visit shallow reefs, harbors and canals, creating the potential for encounter with humans.
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Helpless young
Adapted to swimming
Carnivorous
Tactile sense
Nomadic
Egg layer
Predator
Scavenger
Visual communication