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Tiger Shark Part 1
zaheer2alvi - 8/03/2007 9:04 AM
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Category: Educational
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Tiger Shark Part 1The tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier, one of the largest sharks, is the only member of the genus Galeocerdo. Mature sharks average 3.25 metres (11 ft) to 4.25 metres (14 ft) and weigh 385 to 635 kg (850 to 1400 lb). It is found in many of the tropical and temperate regions of the world`s oceans, and is especially common around islands in the central Pacific. This shark is a solitary hunter, usually hunting at night. Its name is derived from the dark stripes down its body, which fade as the shark matures. The tiger shark is a dangerous predator, known for eating a wide range of items. Its usual diet consists of fish, seals, birds, smaller sharks, squid, and turtles. It has sometimes been found with man-made waste such as license plates or pieces of old tires in its digestive tract. It is notorious for attacks on swimmers, divers and surfers in Hawaii; and is often referred to as the "bane of Hawaiian surfers" and "the wastebasket of the sea". The tiger shark is second only to the great white in number of recorded human fatalities and is considered, along with the great white, bull shark and the oceanic whitetip shark to be one of the sharks most dangerous to humans. The tiger shark is often found close to the coast, in mainly tropical and sub-tropical waters, though they can reside in temperate waters. The shark`s behaviour is primarily nomadic, but is guided by warmer currents, and it stays closer to the equator throughout the colder months. The shark tends to stay in deep waters that line reefs but does move into channels to pursue prey in shallower waters. In the western Pacific Ocean, the shark has been found as far north as Japan and as far south as New Zealand. The shark has been recorded down to a depth of 350 metres (1,100 ft) but is also known to move into shallow water - water that would normally be considered too shallow for a species of its size. It is also frequently found in river estuaries and harbours. At night it is usually found in shallow water.