Fish
Bull Shark
Carcharhinus leucas
Bull Sharks are a medium-sized Shark that are found in shallow, warmer waters worldwide. They are well camouflaged with grey to light brown upper bodies and white undersides allowing them to blend in easily in their environment. They have thick, muscular, robust bodies and small eyes. They also have a short, rounded, blunt snout. Juveniles are brownish-grey in colour and have a black tip on their
Description
Bull Sharks are a medium-sized Shark that are found in shallow, warmer waters worldwide. They are well camouflaged with grey to light brown upper bodies and white undersides allowing them to blend in easily in their environment. They have thick, muscular, robust bodies and small eyes. They also have a short, rounded, blunt snout. Juveniles are brownish-grey in colour and have a black tip on their fins which fades as they grow. They have large dorsal fins on their backs but lack a interdorsal ridge (ridge of skin between first and second dorsal fins). The first dorsal fin and pectoral fins are large, triangular and pointed and the second dorsal is almost three times smaller than the first. They have sharp, triangular, heavily serrated, broad upper teeth and thin, jagged, narrow teeth along the bottom jaw with fine serrations. Breeding season occurs between June to August and males have a tendency to bite during copulation which is often why females display mating scars. This species is viviparous (the process where the embryo develops within the mother's body, leading to live birth), and young are carried in a yolk-sac placenta. Gestation period is usually 10 - 12 months. Females swims to shallower waters closer to April and around May to July moves to an estuary to give birth. Young are born live and free swimming. Females give birth to 1-13 young called pups which are born tail first. Bull sharks normally give birth in fresh water or brackish water and pups begin hunting as soon as they are born and require no parental care. Female Bull sharks mature around 18 years of age and reproduce every other year and males at 14 - 15 years. Bull sharks are territorial, agressive and solitary.
Fun Facts
Bull Sharks are unique because they are the only Shark in the world that have the ability not only to spend time in salt water but can also be found in freshwater and up rivers. They have specially designed glands and kidneys that help them retain salt, allowing them to survive in freshwater. The bite force of Bull sharks is among the highest of any fish. Pound per pound, bull sharks have the largest bite force of all sharks, including the Great White Shark.