Overview

Tiger sharks are easily recognizable by their distinctive dark vertical stripes, which resemble tiger stripes, covering their gray-brown bodies. These stripes fade with age. Tiger sharks are large, reaching up to 14 feet in length, and have a broad, rounded snout. They are distinguished from other similar species, such as the bull shark, by their slenderer body shape and the presence of these distinctive stripes.

Commonly found in:

1. Australia
2. Bahamas
3. Fiji
4. Indonesia
5. Japan
6. Madagascar
7. Mexico
8. New Caledonia
9. New Zealand
10. Papua New Guinea
11. Philippines
12. South Africa
13. Taiwan
14. United States (Florida)

Over the past 119 years, there have been 279 recorded attacks by tiger sharks. Of these attacks, they have occurred at sea and at the following beaches:

• Wailea Beach
• Waimea Bay Beach
• Olowalu Beach
• Kihei Beach
• Turtle Beach

Size and Weight

• Size: Males average between 10-13 feet when mature; females average between 11-14 feet
• Weight: Males typically weigh 850-1,400 pounds; females typically weigh 1,100-1,700 pounds
• Swimming speed: Both sexes can reach speeds of 20-25 mph in short bursts

Interaction with Humans

• Interaction with Humans: Considered dangerous, responsible for many unprovoked attacks
• Avoidance: Stay out of murky waters, avoid swimming at night or during low light conditions
• Activity: Most active at night, dawn, and dusk

Lifespan and Diet

• Lifespan: Both males and females can live 20-30 years in the wild
• Diet: Opportunistic feeders, consume a wide variety of prey including fish, seals, turtles, and even garbage
• Hunting: Solitary hunters, use stealth and ambush tactics

Migratory Patterns

Tiger sharks exhibit seasonal migration patterns. They typically move towards warmer equatorial waters during winter months and return to temperate regions in summer. In the western North Atlantic, they migrate from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea northward along the U.S. East Coast as far as New England during summer, then return south for winter. In the Pacific, they migrate between Hawaii and the North American coast. Some populations in Australia show movement between the coast and the Great Barrier Reef, while others in South Africa migrate between KwaZulu-Natal and Mozambique.