Habitat
Sandy gullies, reefs and shipwrecks from the surface to 200 m.
All species
Sand Tiger Shark
Carcharias taurus
Not aggressive
Fearsome-looking but docile coastal shark with prominent ragged teeth.
Maximum size
2.1–3 m
Aggressiveness
Not aggressive (due to their small mouths)
Ecology
Practices intrauterine cannibalism — only one pup per uterus survives to birth.
Feeding
Small bony fish, rays, squid and crustaceans.
Behaviour
Hovers almost motionless by gulping air at the surface for neutral buoyancy.
Safety notes
Despite the toothy appearance, attacks are extremely rare and usually provoked.
Conservation status
IUCN: Critically Endangered.
Sources & Citations
Data compiled from peer-reviewed and authoritative open sources. Last reviewed 2026.
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Conservation status for each species.
- The Shark Trust — Species Database
Biology, ecology and identification.
- FishBase
Maximum sizes, distribution and life-history data.
- Florida Museum — International Shark Attack File
Documented species behaviour around humans.
- Nature Gibraltar / Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society
Local marine fauna records around the Strait.