Tiger Shark Facts for Kids

A Picture of a Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
  • Name: Tiger Shark
  • Binomial Name: Galeocerdo cuvier
  • Lifespan: Between 27 and 30 years (average)
  • Diet: Carnivorous
  • Length: Up to 16.5 feet
  • Weight: Up to 2,000 pounds

13 Tiger Shark Facts for Kids

  1. The binomial name for a tiger shark is Galeocerdo cuvier.
  2. Tiger sharks get their name because of their dark tiger-like stripes.
  3. The average length of a tiger shark is between 10.8 and 13.11 feet.
  4. The average weight of a tiger shark is between 850 and 1,400 pounds.
  5. Female tiger sharks can reach a length over 16.5 feet and weigh over 2,000 pounds.
  6. Tiger sharks have six senses: hearing, electroreception, sight, smell, taste and touch.
  7. The tiger shark is a macropredator and a carnivore.
  8. Tiger sharks are nocturnal hunters and hunt alone.
  9. A tiger shark’s diet includes fish, dolphins, sea turtles, rays, crustaceans and other sharks.
  10. Tiger sharks will eat whatever they can find, hence their nickname “wastebaskets of the ocean”.
  11. Female tiger sharks can give birth to between 10 and 100 pups.
  12. The average length of a newborn tiger shark is between 20 and 30 inches.
  13. Tiger sharks are the second most common species involved in fatal attacks on humans.

Additional Resources on Tiger Sharks

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