Overview

Sandbar sharks have a slender, fusiform body with a pointed snout and large, widely spaced eyes. Their coloration is typically gray to brown on the dorsal side, fading to white on the ventral side. They possess two dorsal fins, the first being larger than the second, and a distinctive black spot on the upper lobe of the first dorsal fin. This black spot helps distinguish them from other similar species, such as the blacknose shark, which lacks this marking.

Commonly found in:

1. United States
2. Mexico
3. Bahamas
4. Cuba
5. Dominican Republic
6. Puerto Rico
7. Brazil
8. Argentina
9. South Africa
10. Australia
11. New Zealand
12. Japan
13. South Korea
14. China
15. India

Over the past 58 years, there have been 2 recorded attacks by sandbar sharks. Of these attacks, they have occurred at sea and at the following beaches:

• LIST OF BEACHES HERE

Size and Weight

• Size: Males average between 6-7.8 feet when mature; females average between 6.6-8.5 feet when mature
• Weight: Males typically weigh 100-170 pounds; females typically weigh 150-260 pounds
• Swimming speed: Both sexes can reach speeds of up to 20-25 mph

Interaction with Humans

• Interaction with Humans: Generally non-aggressive, rarely involved in attacks on humans
• Avoidance: Stay out of shallow coastal waters, avoid swimming during low light conditions
• Activity: Most active during dawn and dusk

Lifespan and Diet

• Lifespan: Males live approximately 20-30 years; females live approximately 30-40 years
• Diet: Primarily fish, crustaceans, and smaller sharks; hunts by swimming close to the ocean floor

Migratory Patterns

Sandbar sharks exhibit seasonal migration patterns. They typically move northward along the eastern coast of North America during spring and summer, starting from the Gulf of Mexico and Florida, and traveling as far north as New England and Nova Scotia. In the fall and winter, they return southward to warmer waters. Some populations also migrate between coastal areas and deeper offshore waters seasonally. In the western Pacific, sandbar sharks migrate between southern Japan and Taiwan.