Tiger Shark
Galeocerdo cuvier
TIGER SHARK
Galeocerdo cuvier
Habitat
Common throughout Florida and occurs worldwide in tropical and warm-temperate waters. Found in a variety of habitats including river mouths, shallow bays, and open ocean.
Feeding
Voracious feeders that will eat just about anything. Stomach contents have been reported to include sea turtles, many species of bony fish, marine birds, other sharks, porpoises, skates, rays, conchs, crabs, and garbage (for example, pieces of coal and wood, burlap bags, small barrels, cans).
Reproduction
Gives birth to live young. Litters contain 10–80 pups. Size at birth 27–34 inches.
Size/Age
Maximum size about 18 feet in length and a weight of 2000 pounds. Matures at approximately 7–10 years of age (about 10 feet) and is estimated to live 16+ years.
Human factors
Valuable commercial species with marketable flesh, hide, fins, and liver. Recognized by the International Game Fish Association as a big-game fish. Tiger sharks are second only to the Great White shark in the number of attacks on humans worldwide.
For more information on shark species found in the state of Florida, please visit our
Shark Species Profiles information page.
