There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
08-29-2017, 09:39 PM( This post was last modified: 08-30-2017, 11:17 PM by epaiva )
The Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
Its name derives from the dark stripes down its body which resemble a tiger's pattern, which fade as the shark matures.The tiger shark commonly attains a length of 3.25–4.25 m (10 ft 8 in–13 ft 11 in) and weighs around 385–635 kg (849–1,400 lb). Male tiger sharks can grow up to 4 m (13 ft 1 in). Females are larger, and exceptionally big ones can reportedly measure up to 5 m (16 ft 5 in). Weights of particularly large female tiger sharks can reach and exceed 900 kg (2,000 lb). Among the largest extant sharks, the tiger shark ranks in average size only behind the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus), and the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias).
The tiger shark is a solitary, mostly nocturnal hunter, and is notable for having the widest food spectrum of all sharks, consuming a variety of prey ranging from crustaceans, fish, seals, birds, squid, turtles, and sea snakes to dolphins and even other smaller sharks. The tiger shark has been known to eat inedible, man-made objects that linger in its stomach, and it has a reputation as a "garbage eater"
*This image is copyright of its original author
*This image is copyright of its original author
*This image is copyright of its original author
*This image is copyright of its original author
The Tiger Sharks have incredible powerful jaws breaking the shells of sea turtles including the largest species: the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), the loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and the green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). In fact, adult sea turtles have been found in up to 20.8% of studied tiger shark stomachs, indicating somewhat of a dietary preference for sea turtles where they are commonly encountered.
Credits to Neil Hammerschlag picture 1, @jim_abernethy pictures 2 and 3 and @martywoll2017 picture number 4.