Different Kinds of Sharks

There are over 400 different species of sharks. However, they comprise less than 1 percent of all living fish. Sharks are widely considered to be the apex predators of the ocean; their place is near, or at the top of the food chain. However, not all sharks are like that; many aren’t aggressive at all.

Some of the most well-known sharks include: the great white shark, the tiger shark, the bull shark, the oceanic whitetip shark, the hammerhead shark, and the extinct megaladon shark.

The great white shark is by far, the shark with the most recorded attacks on humans. The great white shark typically reaches a maximum length of 20 feet and maximum weight of 5,000 pounds, although the largest great white shark is thought to have been 23 feet with a weight of 5,500 pounds.

The tiger shark is the shark with the second most recorded attacks on humans. The tiger shark typically reaches a maximum length of 14 feet and maximum weight of 1,400 pounds, although the largest confirmed tiger shark was 24 feet with a weight of 6,900 pounds.

The bull shark closely follows the tiger shark in recorded attacks on humans, with the third most recorded attacks. The bull shark typically reaches a maximum length of nearly 12 feet and maximum weight of 505 pounds. Unlike most sharks, bull sharks tolerate fresh water and can travel far up rivers.

The oceanic whitetip shark is responsible for more fatal attacks on humans than all other species combined. They are known for preying on survivors of shipwrecks or downed aircraft. However, such incidents are not included in the common shark attack data, so the oceanic whitetip shark does not hold the highest number of recorded shark attacks (fatal and non-fatal). The oceanic whitetip shark typically reaches a maximum length of 11 feet, although the largest oceanic whitetip shark is thought to have been 13 feet with a weight of 370 pounds.

The hammerhead shark has the seventh most recorded attacks on humans. The hammerhead shark typically reaches a maximum length of nearly 12 feet and weight of 500 pounds, although the largest hammerhead shark is thought to have been 20 feet. The largest confirmed weight of a hammerhead shark was 1,280 pounds, although it was due to the fact it was pregnant.

The extinct megaladon shark, an ancient ancestor of the great white, is thought to have reached a maximum length of 67 feet, and a maximum weight of 228,000 pounds. The teeth of a megaladon shark reached lengths of over 7 inches.

About the Author
Jacob Maddox manages content for Wildlife Animals http://www.wildlife-animals.com an educational wildlife and animal website. Jacob also guest writes for Dog Pound http://www.dog-pound.net