| Cartilaginous Fishes | Sharks |
Sand Tiger Shark
Carcharias taurus
| Conservation Status: Safe for Now
- © Aquarium of the PAcific and K. Leonard
- Photo taken at the Aquarium's Shark Lagoon
Sand tiger sharks are also known as spotted raggedtooth or gray nurse sharks. It is rumored that aquariums are the source of the "tiger" in the sand tiger name. Originally, called sand sharks, the tiger was added to make them seem more ferocious. All sharks in this family swim slowly with their mouths open, exposing long,mnarrow, needle-like teeth. A fearsome sight indeed!
Facts and Features
- Geographic Distribution
Westerm and eastern Atlantic Ocean, western Indian Ocean, and western Pacific Ocean
- Amazing Facts
The effective range of a shark's ability to detect electrical signals is about 20-30 cm (1 ft.)
- At the Aquarium
Our sand tiger shark's habitat is Shark Lagoon. Mahi mahi, and sardines laced with vitamins are fed to it by means of a long pool. This is called target feeding.