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Most Dangerous Sharks
The Great White (Carcharodon Carcharias)
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About : The Great White Sharks is the most dangerous shark species and has the highest number of attacks on humans with almost three times that of the Tiger Shark. These large animals can reach lengths in excess of 7 meters and weigh in at weights of over 2 tons. The Great White has become an icon for marine orientated fears, mainly due to the 1975 horror movie "Jaws" (Based on a novel by Peter Benchley) where the Great White becomes a vicious predator along the coastal areas, attacking swimmers mercilessly. While this movie was far off the actual behaviour of Great White sharks it was enough to instil so much fear into the minds of viewers that the Great White quickly became many people's greatest fear and to this day many are unable to get themselves to step into the waters of the ocean due to the fear of the Great White. The visible appearance of these sharks are quite daunting with numerous layers of sharp teeth capable of ripping apart some of the hardest of objects. The Great White displays a grey upper body while the lower half of the shark is white.
Where : The Great White shark can be found throughout the world with the main hotspots being South Africa, Australia, California as well as Mexico. There have also been a few sightings of Great White sharks off both California and Hawaii. When diving these areas one should seek local advice as to where is safe to dive and where not. The prime spots for Great White's is South Africa's Gaansbaai which is located just a couple hundred kilometers from Cape Town. Here one is able to go cage diving with these amazing creatures, this has been Gaansbaai's primary source of tourism for many years. Another location which offers cage diving with Great White sharks is Isla Guadalupe in Mexico, here one is treated to great visibility under water and schools of these amazing predators.
Behaviour : Despite the amount of attacks on humans, Great White sharks are not known for resorting to attacks on other Great White sharks- this evidence supports the idea that Great White's in-fact have no intent on attacking humans for any other reason than mistaking them for food. It is interesting to note that the amount of people killed by dogs each year is more than that killed by Great White Shark attacks in the past century. While it's recommended to try keep away from areas prone with Great White Shark's if you are to encounter one in the oceans try to remain calm.
Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo Cuvier)
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About : Beaten only by the Great White in size, this creature can reach lengths in excess of 4 meters and weigh up to a ton. They can be easily distinguished by the tiger-like stripes along the upper half of their bodies. The colours of the Tiger Shark are often thought of as grey when really they hold a tinge of green and blue, while the bottom half of the Tiger Shark is coloured a light yellow. The Tiger Shark is certainly not picky when it comes to diet, and is known as the shark that eats everything. The Tiger Shark diet generally consists of birds, fish, seal and even other smaller sharks.
Where : The Tiger Shark, unlike the Great White, comes very close to shore lines which creates more of a threat towards swimmers than other sharks do. Where as the Great White thrives in non-tropical waters and water sea temperatures, the Tiger Shark prefers the warm tropical and sub-tropical waters such as the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific Islands and along the east coast of Africa. The Tiger Shark can be found at all depths, from shallow beaches right to the depths of the ocean down to almost 900 meters.
Behaviour : While the amount of shark attacks is lead by the Great White Shark, the Tiger Shark is responsible for a high number of fatal attacks. This could be due to the aggressive nature of the Tiger Shark which the Great White shark lacks. Where as Great White Sharks often release the victim after attack the Tiger Shark tends to continue fighting and becomes increasingly aggressive should the victim attempt to fight back. Due to the nature of the Tiger Shark and their location swimming is often prohibited on beaches in Hawaii. It would be strongly advised to keep your distance from Tiger Sharks when scuba diving. Another shark which earns it's title as one of the most dangerous sharks.
Bull Shark (Carcharhinus Leucas)
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About : The Bull Shark is known by numerous names including the Zambezi and Whaler Shark. The Bull Shark is often overlooked by the general public, but it is a fact that it accounts for the third highest amount of attacks on humans, this is likely due to the fact that the Bull Shark is prone to shallow waters, which can in fact make it one of the most dangerous sharks. The size of the Bull Shark reaches around 2 meters and weighs in at around 100 kilograms. The Bull Shark is also a bit more stout than other sharks, with their colouring being a light grey on the upper half of the body while the bottom half is a very light grey. While there have been more attacks by the Great White Shark it is often thought that the Bull Shark could be the most dangerous shark due to it's desire to remain in shallow waters.
Where : The most fascinating fact about the Bull Shark is its rare ability to live in both salt water and fresh water, and thus can often be found lurking in river mouths, though they posses the ability to travel far upstream. The Bull Shark is common along the coastal waters throughout the world, from South Africa and Australia, to Japan, Indonesia and the Gulf of Mexico. One can note that when visiting South Africa you can expect this shark to go by the local name of the 'Zambezi Shark'.
Behaviour : The Bull Shark is an extremely territorial and will attack whatever invades its territory. And with the shark being prone to shallow waters this can cause a problem for swimmers. It is believed that many of the shark attacks which were blamed on Great Whites may have actually been Bull Sharks, which would increase the danger this creature provides. It is also said to have been the shark which was responsible for the events which lead to the writing of the 'Jaws' novel. Divers and swimmers alike are highly advised to remain out of areas known to contain Bull Sharks.
Shortfin Mako Shark (Isurus Oxyrinchus)
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About : The Shortfin Mako Shark sometimes called the "Mako" can reach up to 3 meters and weigh up to 200 kilograms. These sharks are known for their speed and agility, being able to jump out of the water with ease. The physique of the Mako Shark is the opposite of the Bull Shark, where as the Bull Shark is fairly stout for it's size the Mako Shark has a sleek, thin body. The colouring of the Mako Shark is a light grey with a slight silver tint with a white bottom. The diet of the Mako Shark consists primarily of large fish such as tuna and swordfish. Some other distinguishing characteristics of the Mako Shark is that the teeth are visible when the shark has its mouth closed and the white underside of the snout.
Where : Mako Sharks can be found throughout the waters of the world, generally where sea temperatures range between 13 and 28 degrees celcius. They tend to prefer warmer waters where temperatures range between 22-28 degrees, an example of this is the Gulf of Mexico around North America where summer waters can reach in excess of 27 degrees. These sharks are not limited to deep waters or shallow shore lines, but rather can be found in both areas, though they do tend to prefer slightly deeper waters than the Bull Shark.
Behaviour : The main talking point about the Mako Shark remains it's incredible speed which can lead to attacks before one is able to escape. It is said that the Mako Shark can reach speeds of over 70 kilometers per an hour. They are aggressive sharks and have been linked to numerous attacks on humans, but with that said one should note that the Mako Shark is a common game fish and the number of attacks by humans on the Mako Shark far outnumber those from Mako Shark against humans.
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