The bull shark is a type of shark best known for its aggressive nature. This fish can be found in all of the world’s oceans’ warm, shallow waters. Bull sharks can survive in brackish water (a mixture of salty and fresh water), but they can also be found in the Amazon, Mississippi, and other rivers, as well as lakes. Its ability to survive in a variety of habitats, particularly those commonly shared with humans (shallow waters), makes it one of the most dangerous shark species. Bull sharks are hunted for their skin, oil, and meat. Despite the fact that the number of bull sharks has decreased significantly over the last few decades, the bull shark is not listed as an endangered species.
Females are heavier than males but shorter. Female bull sharks can weigh 500 pounds and grow to be 5 feet long. Males can weigh up to 200 pounds and stand 7 feet tall.
The backs of bull sharks are grey, and their bellies are white. The tips of the fins, especially in younger sharks, are black.
The bull shark has a strong body. The snout is broad and has sharp, triangular teeth. The eyes are small.
Bull sharks get their name from their blunt snouts and habit of attacking prey by hitting it in the buttocks with their heads first (just like bulls).
The bull shark has long pectoral fins that it uses to cruise through shallow waters in search of its next meal.
The average speed of a bull shark is 4.9 miles per hour, but it can reach 11.8 miles per hour when necessary.
Bull sharks have evolved special adaptations to ensure their survival in both salt and fresh water. Their kidneys and a gland near the tail prevent salt loss in low salinity water.
The bull shark is a carnivore with a voracious appetite. The bull shark’s diet includes fish, turtles, crustaceans, dolphins, birds, and other sharks.
Bull sharks are active both at night and during the day.
1Normally, bull sharks do not eat humans. It will attack anything moving within its territory, including humans.
In the United States, 16 attacks on humans occur on average each year. Every two years, one of these attacks kills someone.
A school or shoal of bull sharks is a group of them.
Bull sharks mate in the brackish waters of coastal lagoons and river mouths during the summer and early autumn.
During this time, male bull sharks are especially aggressive.
Bull sharks are viviparous (breeding females) (female gives birth to live babies). Pregnancy lasts a year.
Females typically have 4 to 10 babies per mating season. At birth, young bull sharks are 28 inches long.
After ten years, they will be the size of an adult animal.
In the wild, a bull shark has an average lifespan of 12 years.
