The Tiger shark is a large shark found of all tropical and some warm temperate oceans and coastal seas. It is not normally found in our waters, though it is not uncommon to see them off the northern parts of New Zealand particularly during summer months.
It is a powerful and dangerous predator.
Tiger sharks swim in the range from the surface down to 340mts or 1200'. They inhabit both the shoreline and open waters, ranging perhaps up to 804km or 500 miles.
The Tiger shark's name refers to the striped pattern along the upper sides, normally seen on younger ones. However these stripes are faint or not even noticed in the adults.
Adults are generally brownish above and paler on the underside.
The first dorsal fin is much longer than the second, and the caudal fin is long and pointed.
The average size would be 2 to 4mts or 7 to 13' in length, though they can reach about 6mts or 20'. Tiger sharks have a special gill slit called an (spiracle) located behind the eyes that provides oxygen flow directly to the eyes and brain. The shark also has a very good sense of smell, sensitive to electric currents in the water, and a very good eyesight.
Tigers have a large thick body, with a broad rounded head and snout, with broad notched, razor-sharp, curved,and serrated teeth. The teeth are the same in both the upper and lower jaws.
The teeth like in other sharks are located in rows which rotate into use as needed. The first two rows are used in obtaining prey. The other rows rotate into place as they are needed. As teeth are lost, broken, or worn down.
Tiger sharks will eat just about anything, such as fish, turtles, crabs, mammals, sea birds, reptiles, other sharks, in fact just about anything that they can catch alive.
The Tiger sharks swim at an average speed of 3.85 kph or 2.5mph. They can swim in fast bursts but can only sustain these high speeds for a few seconds.
Tiger sharks are solitary animals except during mating.
Gestation takes about 9 months. The young pups of tiger sharks are born live in litters of between 10 and 82 pups. At birth the pups are between 50 to 75cm or 20 to 30" inches long and are completely independent.
These young pups have spotted markings that grow together to form stripes that fade with maturity.