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Tiger Shark Facts & Worksheets

Tiger Sharks are the only living species of the genus Galeocerdo. It is also known as the sea tiger, recognizable by dark stripes on its skin similar to tigers.

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Tiger sharks are the only living species of the genus Galeocerdo. It is also known as the sea tiger, recognizable by dark stripes on its skin, similar to tigers.

See the fact file below for more information on tiger sharks, or alternatively, you can download our 26-page Tiger Shark worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

  • Common Name: Tiger shark
  • Scientific Name: Galeocerdo cuvier
  • Type: Fish
  • Diet: Carnivores
  • Habitat: Warm and tropical waters
  • Average size of males is 10 – 14 feet (3.25–4.25 m) 
  • Mature Females are larger than males reaching as much as 16 ft (5 m) 
  • Average Weight: 850 – 1,400 lbs (385 – 635 kg)
  • Average Lifespan in the Wild: 12 years 

Introducing the Scary Tiger Shark

  • Tiger sharks are a large species of predatory shark. The dark, vertical stripes are found mainly on juveniles, and these lines fade and almost disappear as the tiger shark matures. Tiger sharks can grow up to 18 ft (5.5 m) long and weigh as much as 2,000 pounds (900 kg), making them one of the largest shark species. These scary sharks have a bad reputation, but divers who have encountered them have sometimes described the tiger shark as calm, friendly, and curious.

Anatomy

  • Tiger sharks have broad, flat heads, narrow/blunt snouts, and long labial furrows (grooves) around the lips. 
  • Their bodies are long and slender, and their skin can range from blue to light green with a light yellow or white underbelly.
  • Tiger shark teeth are serrated and very sharp. 
  • Tiger sharks have an extremely keen sense of smell and excellent eyesight.
  • They also have vibration detectors to help them detect underwater movement.
  • Like other sharks, tiger sharks move using fins, including the pectoral fin and caudal fin on the tail. The dorsal fin enables them to change direction.

Habitat and Diet

  • Tiger sharks are one of the largest inhabitants of our oceans.
  • They are found worldwide in warm, tropical, and subtropical waters.
  • Tiger sharks are a saltwater migratory species that do not stay in one place and are often found in shallow waters and estuaries as well as deeper waters.
  • In North America, they can be found on the east coast from Cape Cod to Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico, and on the west coast from California southward.
  • Other locations where tiger sharks are found include Africa, Australia, China, Indonesia, and India.   
  • The Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia are home to the largest tiger shark population.
  • The tiger shark is a solitary, mostly nocturnal hunter.
  • They are strong swimmers; however, they generally swim slowly, looking for food as they cruise. They have been described as relaxed and lazy hunters. 
  • Tiger sharks’ diet is varied; they eat crustaceans, dugongs, dolphins, fish, mollusks, rays, sea turtles, seabirds, seals, sea snakes, and whales.
  • They are known as “wastebaskets of the ocean” because they will eat almost anything, including dead whales and other marine animals. 
  • They have an enormous appetite, so they tend to eat whatever is in their path. Non-edible objects like rubber tires, license plates, and beer bottles have been found in their stomachs, which probably gave them terrible tummy aches.
  • Among the primary factors of their migration is the availability of food.

Behavioral Traits and Habits

  • Tiger sharks are known as mostly nocturnal solitary creatures. They prefer to live alone unless during mating. In rare cases, tiger sharks will tolerate each other when there is a large amount of food, such as a dead whale, to be devoured.
  • Large and older tiger sharks have dominating behavior during hunting and eating.
  • Since tiger sharks live in warm waters, they are more likely to be in contact with humans.
  • Due to their large size and predatory prowess, adult tiger sharks have no natural predators.
  • Juveniles, though, may be eaten by other sharks, including adult tiger sharks.
  • Killer whales are the primary predator of the tiger shark mainly because they are larger in both size and weight.

Reproduction and Young

  • Female tiger sharks reach sexual maturity at around the age of 8. Maturity is also determined by size.
  • Males reach sexual maturity at about 2.5m (8 ft) in length at around seven years of age.
  • Both male and female tiger sharks have multiple partners. During mating, male tiger sharks usually bite females on the back with this ritual often leaving scarring marks on the females.
  • Females only mate once every three years.
  • The gestation period is 16 months.
  • Tiger sharks are ovoviviparous, which means shark eggs are fertilized inside the mother, the eggs then hatch internally, and the young are born alive when fully developed.
  • Females can give birth from 10 to 80 babies. 
  • Newborn sharks are called pups and are generally 20 – 30 in (51 – 76 cm) long.
  • Once born, the pups are on their own. 
  • They have long tails that prevent them from swimming fast, so to escape predators, the pups use their markings to camouflage themselves in the waves.
  • Young tiger sharks are easily distinguished because of their skin’s dark stripes, similar to land tigers. These distinct markings fade as they get older.

Shark Danger versus Human Danger

  • According to the IUCN Red List, tiger sharks are classified as near-threatened because of commercial and recreational overfishing.
  • In Asian culture, tiger shark fins are a culinary commodity. They are the main ingredient in many soups and dumplings.
  • Tiger sharks are also harvested for their skin, meat, and liver for edible purposes and nutritious oils.
  • Some hunters are known to amputate tiger sharks’ fins and then release them again, but a tiger shark without fins won’t be able to swim or hunt and will die.
  • In Hawaii, tiger sharks are considered aumakua, which means sacred guardian spirit.
  • Tiger sharks are one of three species known to attack humans, along with bull sharks and great whites.

Additional Sharky Facts

  • Based on their characteristics, sharks are classified into eight orders: Angel sharks, saw sharks, dogfish sharks, ground sharks, mackerel sharks, carpet sharks, bullhead sharks, and frilled and cow sharks.
  • Sharks have dermal denticles, also known as placoid scales, which are smooth, enabling them to swim swiftly underwater.
  • The whale shark is the largest at 12.5 mt (41 ft), while the smallest dwarf lantern shark measures only 6 in (15 cm).
  • The goblin shark is the oldest known species of living shark and has been around for 120 million years.
  • Sharks are known as silent killers because they make no sound. They communicate through body language like zigzag swimming, head butts, and head shaking.
  • Some species can reproduce asexually through parthenogenesis.
  • Tiger sharks do not do well in captivity. They like open spaces, and tagged sharks have been known to swim hundreds of miles/kilometers within short periods.

Tiger Shark Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about tiger sharks across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Tiger Shark worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Tiger Sharks, which are the only living species of the genus Galeocerdo. It is also known as the sea tiger, recognizable by dark stripes on its skin, similar to tigers.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

  • Tiger Shark Facts
  • Extreme Sharky Facts
  • Sharky Parts
  • Word Connect
  • The Sea Tiger
  • Word Finder
  • Sharky Quiz
  • Tiger Shark World
  • Fact or Tale
  • Know Your Sharks
  • Be a Survivor

Frequently Asked Questions

Do tiger sharks attack and bite humans?

Tiger sharks are considered to be aggressive, but they do not actively seek out and bite humans. Sometimes they encounter a human and think it is food. That is when bites occur, but they are very rare. 

What do tiger sharks eat?

Tiger sharks have a reputation for being aggressive predators. They have an enormous appetite and are famous for eating just about anything they can capture or anything they find in the ocean. Tiger sharks caught in harbors have been found with a huge assortment of garbage in their stomachs.

Do tiger sharks migrate?

Yes, tiger sharks are a migratory species. Each year when the temperature of water starts to drop, they travel toward warmer waters, sometimes traveling thousands of miles.

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Link will appear as Tiger Shark Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 7, 2018

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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