Page 174 - (DK) Super Shark Encyclopedia: And Other Creatures of the Deep

HUNTER IN THE DARK

TIGER SHARK AT A GLANCE

Few animals can match the tiger shark’s appetite. Turtles, birds,
other sharks, and even human beings, injured whales, and old tin cans
all get gobbled down if it gets the chance. This fierce predator prowls
around shorelines at night, often venturing into estuaries and harbors
in search of food. It is usually alone and is perfectly at home hunting
3
in dark and murky waters. • SIZE 9 ⁄4–20 ft (3–6 m)
• HABITAT Usually in cloudy waters near
coastlines, especially around estuaries,
STAYING AFLOAT lagoons, and harbors
• LOCATION Worldwide in warm and
A tiger shark has a large liver that sits
on top of its stomach and gut. The liver tropical oceans
contains a lot of oil, which helps the • DIET Fish, including other sharks, turtles, seals,
shark float and stay buoyant when seabirds, dolphins, sea snakes, squid, crabs,
swimming. It also has a spiral valve in lobsters, snails, jellyfish, and human rubbish
its gut that slows down the passage
of food so that it can absorb as
many nutrients as possible.

Young tigers have vertical stripes and
Liver
spots that run down the length of the
body and fade as the shark grows
Stomach
Spiral valve in gut

Upper lobe of
tail fin is bigger
than lower lobe

Guzzle guts
The tiger shark has a reputation of eating
anything it comes across. This strategy
is useful when there is not much food
around, but it does mean that it Anal fin keeps
sometimes swallows objects that it fish stable while
cannot digest. Like most sharks, it has swimming
a short gut, so bones and other hard Pelvic fins help fish
materials have to stay in the stomach move up and down
and stop quickly
much longer or be vomited back up.

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