Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about
Mind-Blowing Tiger Shark Facts!
Tiger sharks weigh 1,400 pounds on average and approach the largest bottlenose dolphins in size.
They are apex predators with man being their only hunter.
These immense sea monsters do not flee in the face of a hurricane but will stick around presumably to feed on casualties.
Tiger sharks are fierce predators who will eat just about anything. These incredible animals hold a lot of secrets, including the one who had a murder mystery hidden in its stomach! From their ginormous size to the unusual development of their offspring, you’re bound to learn something new in this list of 10 mind-blowing tiger shark facts.
1. Tiger Sharks can Weigh over 1700 Pounds!
Tiger sharks are the second largest predator shark in the world, and the fourth largest shark overall. They typically weigh between 850-1400 pounds, but the largest tiger sharks have weighed in at over 1,700 pounds
These large creatures can also reach lengths of over 18 feet!
2. Mama Tiger Sharks Give Live Birth—but Babies Develop in Eggs
Most animals who give live birth have a placenta that “feeds” their offspring the nutrients they need while inside of the uterus.
Tiger sharks don’t develop placenta. Instead, the babies each grow inside of their own egg. Once the babies hatch, mama tiger shark gives birth to the live offspring.
3. A Tiger Shark Will Eat Anything!
Tiger sharks are the Labradors of the ocean world. While they have preferred foods, tiger sharks will eat anything from their variety of natural prey to their own offspring or trash that has been dumped into the ocean.
It’s important to keep our oceans clean for these “ocean puppers” who eat like teething puppies!
When animals eat materials such as plastic, it’s introduced into our food chain, which is detrimental to us all in the long run.
4. No Really, Anything—Even Severed Human Limbs!
Here’s a wild story—a tiger shark captured from the wild once threw up a human arm inside of a Sydney aquarium!
It was first assumed that the shark had bitten off someone’s arm during an attack, but police would later learn that it had been cut off by a sharp object.
Boxer James Smith had a distinctive tattoo on his left arm, and so it was quickly traced back to him. He was also a police informant who did business with several criminals as part of his work.
Suspects were arrested, but with just one arm as evidence, it was difficult to try them for murder. In the end, suspect Reginald Holmes was murdered.
Because Holmes was a key witness for the other suspect, John Brady’s, trial, Brady was able to walk away without facing charges. There simply wasn’t enough evidence that he was involved in either crime.
Unfortunately, this happened in 1935 when marine animal care didn’t have very high standards. The shark died in captivity.
No other body parts belonging to Jimmy Smith were ever found.
5. They’ll Brave a Hurricane for a Good Meal
When we say tiger sharks are food motivated, we really do mean it! They’ve been found to brave harsh storms, perhaps using them as hunting opportunities.
Scientists tracked four shark species from 2016-2017. Three of these species fled from a hurricane, but the tiger sharks remained in place.
In the weeks following Hurricane Irma, they noticed even more tiger sharks in the waters than there had been before the storm.
One of the scientists, Neil Hammerschlag, believes that the sharks’ size might have something to do with it. They were the largest shark that the researchers tracked in the study, and may have been better equipped to withstand harsh waters than the other species.
He also speculated that the sharks might have taken the opportunity to scavenge dead animal carcasses, which would be increasingly available during the storm.
And as always have a chilled day from the Viking
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