These sharks have been nicknamed the dustbins of the sea, due to their voracious appetite and reputation for eating anything in their path.

Statistics
The largest recorded was 7.4m, but on average, females are 3.75m and males are 3m.

Physical description
Tiger sharks have stripes running across a dark back, with a paler belly. The snout is short and rounded and the teeth are sharply serrated. Juveniles have spotted dorsal fins (the tall fin on the shark's back).

Habitat
These sharks inhabit warm seas worldwide and live near the surface and at moderate depths. They are often seen near the shoreline.

Diet
Tiger sharks have good eyesight but rely on their acute sense of smell to detect prey. They are voracious predators and will eat almost anything, including seals, turtles, jellyfish, seabirds, fish, sea snakes, crabs, other sharks and rubbish.

Behaviour
Tiger sharks are solitary except for when breeding. The female gives birth to between 10 and 80 pups, which are completely independent at birth.

Tiger sharks 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.

They can reach speeds of 20 mph and can travel up to 50 miles a day.

Conservation status
Tiger sharks are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. They are hunted for sport and for their meat, fins and liver oil.