Sand Tiger Shark Essay
The animal that I chose is the Carcharias Taurus, which is its scientific name. We may know them as the Sand Tiger Shark. The Carcharias Taurus has many names because it is known in many parts of the world and they are named differently, for example: grey nurse shark, ground shark, spotted ragged tooth shark, slender-tooth shark, spotted sand tiger shark and ground shark. Currently the Sand Tiger Shark is vulnerable and is still living in some areas of the world today. The domain of the Sand Tiger Shark is Eukaryote and its phylum is chordate. According to National Geographic Sand Tiger Shark get their name “from their tendency toward shoreline habitats, and they are often seen trolling the ocean floor in the surf zone, very close to shore.”
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Sand tiger sharks are extremely impressive they have short pointed muzzles and small eyes.
They have several colors because on one side it looks pale brown or gray and on the other side, they may have dark spots that fade into its body. When the Sand Tiger shark is older the spots on its body disappear with age. They are large-bodied and display a mouthful of sharp teeth that excel in all directions, even when the mouth is shut. They weight around 200- 350 pounds. Sand Tiger sharks can swim at a speed of 12 miles per hour. At the top of the Sand Tigers fin it has like an indent of cracked fin. It has two identical sized fins on its back and four fins on the bottom of its body. Sand Tiger Shark can range in size from 6.5 to 10.5 feet in length. They can be found in temperate and tropical waters. They are usually found in shallow waters such as surfing areas and near rocky coral reefs. They can go deep into the water about 191 meters. The Sand Tiger is the only shark that is known for coming to the surface and swallow air. The air is stored in the stomach, allowing them to float motionless in the water to find its prey. Sand Tiger sharks are carnivores, they eat bony fish, rays, lobsters, crabs, squid, and other small sharks. They may hunt in groups, but they mostly hunt by
themselves. Sand Tiger sharks are known to mate in November and October every two years. The pregnancy is just like human it may take anywhere from six to nine months. Females may give birth in early spring near coastal, rocky reefs. Caves are known to be breeding grounds for Sand Tigers. Bearding season is once every two years and the maximum number of baby Sand Tigers born are two one from each uterus. Females Sand Tigers could have hundreds of eggs in the uterus, but the fully developed baby shark eats its own siblings. Sand Tiger Sharks can be found in the Gulf of Maine to FL, including Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, and Bermuda. In the South Atlantic Ocean in the coast lines of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. All over Africa, in the Arabian Sea in the cost lines of Pakistan. All over Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, and the cost lines of China. They can be found all over Australia this is where you can find San Tiger Sharks. Unfortunately they are extant they are vulnerable to all these places stated. According to Gary Gerlach “Grey nurse sharks are cited as being critically endangered in the Commonwealth Legislation (Australia). They are also considered endangered in New South Wales” (Gerlach 1). The Sand Tiger Shark is highly regarded as a food fish in Japan. They are also vulnerable because they have the lowest reproductive rate of all the sharks. They are being protected in the United States, Australia, and New Guinea. If you catch a Sand Tiger shark you must immediately release it with minimal harm to the shark.
Sand tiger sharks are extremely impressive they have short pointed muzzles and small eyes.
They have several colors because on one side it looks pale brown or gray and on the other side, they may have dark spots that fade into its body. When the Sand Tiger shark is older the spots on its body disappear with age. They are large-bodied and display a mouthful of sharp teeth that excel in all directions, even when the mouth is shut. They weight around 200- 350 pounds. Sand Tiger sharks can swim at a speed of 12 miles per hour. At the top of the Sand Tigers fin it has like an indent of cracked fin. It has two identical sized fins on its back and four fins on the bottom of its body. Sand Tiger Shark can range in size from 6.5 to 10.5 feet in length. They can be found in temperate and tropical waters. They are usually found in shallow waters such as surfing areas and near rocky coral reefs. They can go deep into the water about 191 meters. The Sand Tiger is the only shark that is known for coming to the surface and swallow air. The air is stored in the stomach, allowing them to float motionless in the water to find its prey. Sand Tiger sharks are carnivores, they eat bony fish, rays, lobsters, crabs, squid, and other small sharks. They may hunt in groups, but they mostly hunt by
themselves. Sand Tiger sharks are known to mate in November and October every two years. The pregnancy is just like human it may take anywhere from six to nine months. Females may give birth in early spring near coastal, rocky reefs. Caves are known to be breeding grounds for Sand Tigers. Bearding season is once every two years and the maximum number of baby Sand Tigers born are two one from each uterus. Females Sand Tigers could have hundreds of eggs in the uterus, but the fully developed baby shark eats its own siblings. Sand Tiger Sharks can be found in the Gulf of Maine to FL, including Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, and Bermuda. In the South Atlantic Ocean in the coast lines of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. All over Africa, in the Arabian Sea in the cost lines of Pakistan. All over Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, and the cost lines of China. They can be found all over Australia this is where you can find San Tiger Sharks. Unfortunately they are extant they are vulnerable to all these places stated. According to Gary Gerlach “Grey nurse sharks are cited as being critically endangered in the Commonwealth Legislation (Australia). They are also considered endangered in New South Wales” (Gerlach 1). The Sand Tiger Shark is highly regarded as a food fish in Japan. They are also vulnerable because they have the lowest reproductive rate of all the sharks. They are being protected in the United States, Australia, and New Guinea. If you catch a Sand Tiger shark you must immediately release it with minimal harm to the shark.