¿What we know about Bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas?

Common name: Bull shark

Scientific name: Carcharhinus leucas

Type: Fish

Diet: Carnivore

Group name: School

Average life span in the wild_ 16 years

Size: 6 to 9 ft regular, max 12ft.

Weight: 200 to 500 pounds

They are found cruising the shallow, warm waters of all the world´s oceans. Fast, agile predators, they will eat almost anything they see, including fish, dolphins and even other sharks. Humans are not part of their menus.

Bull sharks get their name from their short, blunt snout, as well as their pugnacious disposition and a tendency to head-butt their prey before attacking . They are medium size sharks, with thick, stout bodies and long pectoral fins. They are gray on top and white below, and the fins have dark tips, particulary on young Bull sharks.

Bull sharks are fished widely for their meat, hides and oils, and their numbers are likely shrinking. One study has found that their average lengths have decline significantly over the past few decades. Is one of the principal reasons to work to protect them, appreciate this increíble fish underwater and talk with other people about the experience to see them and the meaning to protect all the ocean.

Bull sharks like other sharks play an important role in the ecosystem by maintaining the species below them in the food chain and serving as an indicator for ocean health.

Source:

• REEF FISH Identification (book)
• National Geographic (website)