Rukin shark. The shark, or bull shark, is one of the most aggressive animals
Appearance
The blunt-nosed shark (from the Latin Carcharhinus leucas), also known as bull or gray, belongs to the class of gray sharks from the order Carcharhiniformes. The fish got its name from its uniquely shaped snout. They have a very large body with a large head and a blunt snout. They have a large front fin on their back, and a much smaller rear fin. The caudal fin has a cutout at the end of an elongated blade. The last gill slit is located above the pectoral fin.
The body of sharks is predominantly gray, with the exception of the white underparts and belly. There are no spots, stripes or any kind of patterns on the body. Bull sharks have the ability to change skin tone depending on the intensity of light. Therefore, they should be especially careful in shallow waters. Females can reach up to 4 m in length and weigh up to 300 kg. Males are slightly smaller in size. Their length can be in the range of 2.2 - 2.5 m, and their weight is on average 130 kg.
The teeth of fish have a triangular plate shape and are very sharp, with the teeth of the upper jaw being wider than the lower jaw. The jaws are capable of capturing prey with a force of 600 kg.
Geography of habitat
Geographically, the bull shark's habitat is very extensive. As a rule, the predator is constantly located within 150 m from the shore, and the diving depth is about 30 m. It is often found:
- in the Atlantic Ocean from the north of the USA to Brazil and from Angola to the coast of Morocco,
- in the Indian Ocean, representatives of this species most often live in coastal waters from Kenya to South Africa, the Persian Gulf and coastal areas of southwestern India.
- In the Pacific Ocean, fish can be seen in the waters of Australia, Oceania, from the waters of Ecuador to northern California.
Since the predator thrives in fresh water, it has been found more than once in the estuaries of rivers in India and the United States, in particular Illinois and New Jersey, as well as fresh water reservoirs that communicate with the sea. In the murky waters of the Amazon, the fish can rise up to 4,000 km, so some individuals have been seen in Peru.
“The ability to live in fresh water is due to the presence of a rectal gland, which allows it to accumulate salt.”
Reproduction
Like other gray sharks, the bluntnose reproduces by viviparity. The female carries fertilized eggs within herself. Pregnancy lasts 12 months. Females give birth in bays and river mouths. Each female gives birth to approximately a dozen sharks up to 70 cm long. From the first days, they learn and get used to living independently without outside help. Predators usually spend the first year of their lives close to the coast. This makes it easier for them to catch their prey and hide from other predators. Sexual maturity occurs 3 years after birth, when the length of the fish reaches 1.5 meters. Maximum life expectancy is up to 30 years.
Behavior
Biologists say that bull sharks are one of the most aggressive animals. This is due to the large amount of testosterone that is produced in males. The behavior of these fish is characterized by outbreaks of sudden aggression and rage. They can suddenly attack any moving object, including the motor propeller of a small boat. Thanks to the flattened shape of the shark's muzzle, it is very mobile.
Having a very large habitat, especially near densely populated shores, as well as the presence of deadly teeth, gives grounds for the gray shark to be called a man-eater. More than half of the attacks of predators on people in the water fall precisely on the share of the blunt-nosed shark. Residents of African countries, as well as the coastal waters of India, are most often attacked.
Recently, a large number of attacks on swimmers and divers have been recorded off the coast of Australia. In order to reduce the risk of being attacked by a bull shark, experienced divers recommend that swimmers avoid swimming in muddy waters, especially where the river flows into the sea. It is also undesirable to swim after heavy, heavy rains, because rain can wash organic objects into the sea, which attracts predators. There were cases when fish attacked animals and people who forded the river.
Lifestyle and nutrition
Although fish of this class are omnivores, the main food for blunt-nosed predators are fish, small sharks, including gray ones, stingrays, crustaceans, some marine and terrestrial mammals, and often humans. According to statistics, most often a person is attacked by sharks in the early morning or late evening at a depth of up to 1 meter. They look out for a long time and wait for their prey before making an instant fatal attack. They are also considered to be “scavengers”, as they consume carrion and garbage.
Despite their bloodthirstiness and the fact that the bluntnose shark is one of the top three most dangerous sharks, they are very often caught and killed. More often they are exterminated in densely populated areas near the sea, where the likelihood of being attacked by a predator is very high.
Since this species is an important link in the animal world of the entire biosystem, uncontrolled extermination of these fish can upset the balance in the ecosystem, which will lead to serious consequences for the flora and fauna.
Video about the most dangerous predator living in the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Pacific oceans
Fierce, omnivorous and swift - such is the blunt-nosed shark, plowing fresh and salt waters throughout the globe. The predator patrols the seas and rivers, where there are always a lot of people, and is recognized as perhaps the most dangerous man-eating shark.
Description of the blunt-nosed shark
It is also called the gray bull shark, given its membership in the family and genus Gray sharks. It received the name Bull shark because of its huge blunt muzzle, as well as for its bad habit of hunting bulls driven by shepherds to watering holes. Spanish-speaking peoples gave the predator the longest nickname - the shark with a head like a trough (Tiburon cabeza de batea). This type of shark was introduced to the public in 1839, thanks to the work of German biologists Friedrich Jacob Henle and Johann Peter Müller.
Appearance, dimensions
This is a massive cartilaginous fish with a body resembling a spindle. Compared to other gray sharks, it looks stockier and denser. Males are smaller than females - the female (on average) weighs 130 kg with a length of about 2.4 m, and the male stretches 95 kg with a length of 2.25 m. However, there is information about more impressive individuals, whose weight was close to 600 kg, and length to 3.5–4 m.
The snout (flattened and blunt) contributes to better maneuverability, and the small eyes are equipped with a nictitating membrane, like all relatives of the sawtooth shark family. Powerful teeth (triangular in shape with a jagged edge) are similar to teeth: they are narrower on the lower jaw than on the upper jaw. It happens that a shark loses a front tooth, and then a tooth from the back row moves out in its place, where new deadly teeth are constantly formed.
The rear dorsal fin is much smaller than the front one, and the caudal fin has an elongated upper blade with a notch at the end. In some sharks, the edges of the fins are slightly darker than the background of the body, but the coloring of the body is always uniform, without streaks or patterns. The discreet coloring helps the predator camouflage itself in shallow water: the gray color on the back smoothly flows on the sides into a lighter belly. In addition, the bull shark is able to control the intensity of coloration based on the lighting at the moment.
Character and lifestyle
The blunt-nosed shark has adapted to life in fresh and sea water, easily swimming back and forth, thanks to special osmoregulation tools. These are the gills and the rectal gland, the main task of which is to rid the body of excess salts that get there when the shark is in the sea. The predator can also distinguish food or dangerous objects, focusing on the sounds emanating from them or the color (bright yellow objects/creatures located at the bottom are especially wary).
The bull shark is extremely strong and unpredictable: its behavior defies any logic. She can accompany a diver for a long time and with an absolutely indifferent look, only to violently attack him in a second. And it’s good if the attack is only a test and does not continue with a series of trademark pushes, supplemented by bites.
Important! Those who do not want to encounter a blunt-nosed shark should avoid turbid waters (especially where the river flows into the sea). In addition, you should not go into the water after a heavy downpour, when it is full of organic matter that attracts sharks.
It is almost impossible to escape from the aggressor - the shark torments the sufferer to the last. Predators attack everyone who crosses the borders of their underwater possessions, often mistaking even the propellers of boat motors for the enemy.
How long does a bull shark live?
The maximum lifespan of a species is estimated differently. Some ichthyologists claim that the bull shark lives a little longer than 15 years, while other scientists call more optimistic figures - 27–28 years.
Range, habitats
The gray bull shark inhabits almost all oceans (with the exception of the Arctic) and a huge number of freshwater rivers. These predatory fish are found in tropical and subtropical waters, occasionally descending just below 150 m (they are most often seen at a depth of about 30 m). In the Atlantic, blunt-nosed sharks have colonized waters from Massachusetts to southern Brazil, as well as from Morocco to Angola.
In the Pacific Ocean, bull sharks live from Baja California to northern Bolivia and Ecuador, and in the Indian Ocean they can be found in waters from South Africa to Kenya, Vietnam, India and Australia. By the way, the bull shark is highly revered and feared by residents of several countries, including China and India. One of the varieties of the blunt-nosed shark constantly feeds on human flesh, which is facilitated by an ancient local custom. Indians living at the mouth of the Ganges immerse their deceased fellow tribesmen from the upper castes into its sacred waters.
Diet of the blunt-nosed shark
The predator does not have a refined taste and eats everything that is in sight, including garbage and carrion. In search of lunch, the bull shark slowly and lazily explores its personal feeding area, quickly accelerating when it sees suitable prey. He prefers to search for food alone, swimming into murky waters that hide the shark from potential prey. If the object tries to escape, the bull shark hits it in the side and bites it. Thrusts are interspersed with bites until the victim finally capitulates.
The standard diet of a blunt-nosed shark consists of:
- marine mammals, including dolphins;
- juvenile cartilaginous fish;
- invertebrates (small and large);
- bonefish and rays;
- crustaceans, including crabs;
- sea snakes and echinoderms;
- sea turtles.
Bull sharks are prone to cannibalism (they eat their relatives), and also often drag away small living creatures that come to the rivers to drink.
This is interesting! Unlike other sharks, they are not afraid to attack objects equal in size to them. So, in Australia, one bull shark attacked a racehorse, and another dragged an American Staffordshire Terrier into the sea.
The impudence and food indiscriminateness of the species are especially dangerous for people, who from time to time get caught in the teeth of these monsters.
Reproduction and offspring
The mating season of the blunt-nosed shark occurs in late summer and early autumn. The unbridled and viciousness of the species, or more precisely, its males, are fully manifested in love games: it is not without reason that ichthyologists classify male bull sharks as the most vicious animals on the planet. As it turned out, their bodies produce an astronomical amount of testosterone, a hormone responsible for the mood and increased aggressiveness of these predatory fish. It is hormonal surges that explain those outbursts of rage when sharks begin to attack everything that moves nearby.
This is interesting! The partner does not bother himself with protracted courtship and is not ready to show tenderness: he simply bites the chosen one by the tail until she lies belly up. After intercourse has occurred, the female heals the scratches and wounds inflicted on her for a long time.
To give birth, predators enter flooded river mouths, wandering through shallow waters (the bull shark is characterized by viviparity, like other gray sharks). The female turns into a living incubator, where the embryos grow over the course of 12 months. Pregnancy ends with the birth of 10–13 sharks (0.56–0.81 m in height), which immediately show sharp serrated teeth. The mother does not care at all about the children, which is why they have to lead an independent life from the first days.
The young do not leave the estuary for several years: here it is easier for them to find food and hide from their pursuers. Childbearing age usually occurs at 3–4 years, when males stretch up to 1.57–2.26 m, and young females - up to 1.8–2.3 m. Having reached fertility, blunt-nosed sharks leave brackish waters, where born and raised, and sailing towards the elements of the sea to enter adulthood.
The bull or blunt-nosed shark (lat. Carcharhinus leucas) is considered by many as the most dangerous shark for humans on our planet. So why does it have a reputation on par with its notorious relatives, the great white and tiger sharks? Well, read on, we’ll try to figure this out together.
Common name: Bull shark
Scientific name: Carcharhinus leucas
Size: Maximum 3.5 m (11.5 ft), average: 2.4 m (7.8 ft)
Weight: Over 230 kg (500 lbs)
Attacks: 104 attacks in the last 150 years, 33 fatal
Deadly Rating: 4 out of 5
Bull Shark Information
Blunt sharks get their name primarily from their short, rounded snout. Most of the sharks in this family got into it because of their nose, actually Carcharhinus means sharp nose.
The name also describes their pugnacious nature and tendency to headbutt prey as a prelude to an attack.
These sharks are also known as: Zambezi shark, Van Rooyen shark, Nicaraguan shark, Ganges shark, squarenose shark, shovelnose shark, freshwater whaler, Swan River whaler or gray bull shark.
Bull sharks are in the same family as great white sharks, tiger sharks and sharks. This family is called Carcharhinidae or "Requiem Shark" and these sharks are responsible for almost all unprovoked attacks on humans.
Bull sharks are the third most likely to attack people. According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), these sharks are the most likely to be involved in an attack after great white sharks and tiger sharks. Over the past 150 years, there have been 104 recorded bull shark attacks, a third of which were fatal. It is also believed that these numbers are an underestimate because many attacks occur in third world countries and are not included in the statistics.
Many experts consider the bull shark to be the most dangerous shark in the world. This is due to the fact that, unlike other potentially dangerous sharks, the bull shark is found only in shallow waters. And this is where they can meet people, including on some of the world's most famous beaches.
It is widely believed that bull shark attacks inspired the filmmakers of Jaws to make the film. The infamous shark attack off the New Jersey coast in 1916 killed four people and injured one. Although there were no further attacks after a 2.5-meter (8-foot) great white shark was caught nearby, some experts do not believe the captured shark was involved in the attacks. The reason for this is one of the attacks committed in the Matawan Creek, the place of the attack was located at a great distance from the sea and there was fresh water there. As we know, great white sharks are not found in fresh water, while bull sharks are often found in rivers and lakes.
Bull sharks have the strongest bite for their size of any shark species measured.
Video: Scientist Eric Ritter joins several fierce-looking bull sharks in the water.
Bull shark: Habitat and distribution
Bull sharks are common in all warm waters. They have been spotted as far north as Massachusetts on the Atlantic Coast of the United States and as far south as Brazil. While they are not often seen in the colder regions of the Pacific, they can often be seen from Bahia in Baja California (Mexico) all the way to Ecuador. Bull sharks have also been found in many places in the Indian Ocean, including much of Africa, Western India, and from Vietnam to Australia.
Photo. Where can you find a blunt-nosed shark?
These sharks are usually found in water no deeper than 30 m (100 ft).
Bull sharks are one of the few sharks that thrive in fresh water. All sharks must retain a certain amount of salt in their bodies, and bull sharks have a special adaptation that allows them to do this, even in fresh water.
Bull sharks have been seen as far inland as 3,700 km (2,220 miles) up the Amazon River in Peru and more than 3,000 km (1,800 miles) up the Mississippi River in Illinois. In Africa they are also known as the Zambezi shark as they frequent this river, while in India they are sometimes called the Ganges shark. A population of these sharks has also been established in Lake Nicaragua; at one time it was believed that it had access to the sea. However, these sharks appear to be able to navigate various rivers, including some rapids, to gain access to the lake. There have been a series of attacks (some fatal) in the lake over the years.
Bull sharks were seen swimming in flooded streets and areas around Brisbane, Australia, during the 2010 floods.
There are rumors about bull sharks that they supposedly live in the Mediterranean Sea, but there is no conclusive evidence.
Despite stories of bull sharks in Lake Michigan, this appears unlikely. Although there is a channel between the Mississippi, where they were found, and Lake Michigan, there are many obstacles, such as locks, that sharks are unable to overcome.
South American bull sharks migrate 3,700 km (2,300 mi) up and down the Amazon River seasonally.
Bull shark anatomy
Bull sharks are recognizable by their stocky and blunt snouts. They are proportionally shorter and wider than other Shark Requiems.
Sharks are light to dark gray in color and have a white underbelly. Young sharks may have dark fin tips.
The largest recorded specimen was a 4 meter (13 ft) shark, although this has not been very well tested. Sharks are often reported to reach lengths of 3.5 meters (11 ft).
Photo. Bull shark teeth
The heaviest bull shark recorded was a 315-kilogram (694 lb) specimen.
Bull sharks do not have a crest. This is the ridge that runs between the front and rear dorsal fins on a shark's back. Other sharks actually have it.
Bull sharks have small eyes, smaller than most other Requiem sharks. It is believed that they rely more on scent when hunting in murky coastal waters.
The teeth are wide and triangular, reaching 4 cm (1.5 in) in length. They are highly serrated on the sides, which is ideal for cutting and tearing flesh.
Females live longer than males. They can live approximately 16 years, compared to 12 years for males. This explains the larger size of adult females.
Young sharks are born after 11 months of gestation. The mother gives birth to them alive, they are immediately free to swim (viviparous) and she does not care for them much after they are born.
What do bull sharks eat?
Bull sharks are at the top of the food chain among predators. This means that they are not usually hunted, although on rare occasions they have been known to be attacked and eaten by other large sharks and there have even been cases of crocodiles killing bull sharks.
Photo. Killed bull shark
Bull sharks will eat anything! They are opportunistic hunters, they will try to eat whatever they find rather than searching for specific prey. Despite this, their diet typically consists of fish, and they have even been known to eat stingrays and other sharks, including small ones of their own species. Less commonly, bull sharks eat sea turtles, dolphins, crabs, seabirds, squid, dogs and even unlucky horses, not to mention people.
Bull shark attacks
The bull shark is sometimes called the pit bull of the sea due to its increased aggressiveness when attacked. This is also due to the shark's habitat and range, making them more likely to come into contact with humans than any other shark. Many attacks have occurred in rivers and lakes, making it much easier to identify the shark species due to the fresh water.
Of the family of gray sharks, the bluntnose shark is the most famous. It has several names: bull shark and gray shark. You will find out why it is called that a little later. This subspecies is found almost throughout the planet. Where the waters are warm and shallow, there will definitely be a blunt-nosed shark. It can be found in the Amazon, on the Mississippi, as well as any others that flow into the ocean. This shark is very dangerous for people, because it is one of the three most cruel man-eating sharks.
Where does he live?
It is noteworthy that quite often the bull shark enters rivers. Which is unusual for other species. It goes very far upstream, but in most cases does not descend to a depth of more than 30 meters. If we talk about the Atlantic Ocean, then it can be found near the coasts of Southern Brazil, the USA, Morocco and Angola. The original home of this predator is considered to be here. The blunt-nosed shark is found almost everywhere. It can be seen from the coastal zone of Africa and all the way to Kenya. The bull shark visited and here it can be found around almost all the islands. These sharks are only found along the southern side of Australia. The dangerous predator thrives in the murky waters of the Amazon and is very often found on the Ganges River. The bull shark loves warm currents and tries to avoid temperate latitudes.
Appearance of a predator
The body of the bull shark is stocky, this is the simple reason why people call it “bull shark”. This also corresponds to the aggressiveness of this representative of gray sharks. Males are slightly smaller than females. The length in most cases is no more than 2.5 meters, and the weight is about 130 kg. At one time there was talk that fishermen managed to catch a female 4 meters long, but there is no evidence of this. It is noteworthy that the blunt-nosed shark, according to researchers, can weigh more than 315 kilograms. The number of dorsal fins is 2. Moreover, the first is somewhat larger and higher than the second. The caudal fin is notable for the fact that it is an order of magnitude longer than that of other representatives of the gray shark family, and it is also located slightly lower. The predator's jaws are clenched very tightly. The bull shark also becomes very dangerous because it is quite difficult to spot. This is due to the gray back, which is completely invisible, especially in muddy water. belly
About nutrition and behavior
This predator is of great interest to researchers due to its unpredictable behavior. In water, it is impossible to predict the actions of a shark. She may or may not attack a person. The same applies to large animals that happen to be nearby. Apparently, a lot depends on whether she is hungry or not. Today, the bull shark is ranked on the same level as the white shark in terms of danger. As a rule, a representative of this species hunts exclusively alone. It is very rare to observe a pair of predators foraging for food. No cases of pack hunting were found at all. This may be due to exceptional aggression during food production, directed even at weaker relatives, whom predators subsequently eat. However, the bull shark is extremely lazy and will not chase food again, especially if it is full. The diet consists of juvenile sharks, fish and even dolphins. Although it rarely attacks the latter, because there is a chance of being defeated. This is due to the fact that dolphins rarely swim alone, and in a school they can kill a predator without any problems.
It is noteworthy that this type of fish is a territorial animal, this applies to males. They can mistake anyone who swims into their territory for a potential enemy. It's not uncommon for people to become victims of bull sharks simply because they swam too far or dived too deep. By the way, researchers are now talking about a high level of testosterone in the blood of this predator. Apparently, this is what determines the excessive aggressiveness of the individual. Today we can say that there are much fewer registered attacks of the blunt-nosed shark on humans than unofficial ones. This is due to several factors: firstly, it is sometimes extremely difficult to understand whether it was really a bull shark or some other species, and secondly, in third world countries in most cases they do not attach importance to attacks by these predators, since there it is Not unusual.
Blunt shark - danger to humans
We can say with great confidence that sharks should be avoided in general, regardless of type and size. As for the blunt-nosed sharks, they should be feared most of all. In particular, due to the fact that they are very unpredictable and extremely aggressive against humans or any other creature. However, there are practically no cases of this predator attacking a group of people or marine animals. Therefore, if you go swimming, do not do it alone. Another important point is that the blunt-nosed shark feeds at dawn and sunset. It is not recommended to swim too far or enter the water at all if there may be a predator in it, as there is a risk of becoming its prey. And in general, it’s definitely not worth swimming on the beach or in the river, where this cannibal could presumably end up. Moreover, this representative can be found in both salt and fresh water, the main thing is that it is warm. It always makes sense to swim as close to the shore as possible. Often, the gray bull shark, or tiptoe shark, does not swim too close to shallow water.
Conclusion
So we looked at what kind of predator this is - a blunt-nosed shark. The danger to humans is extremely high, especially if she is in a bad mood or hungry. Sometimes these predators are not averse to tasting the fry of other sharks of their own kind. By the way, it is worth noting that the blunt-nosed shark is a viviparous fish. This means that females give birth to fry. The length of babies on the first day is no more than 60 centimeters. Individuals reach sexual maturity at a body length of 1.5 to 2.5 meters. The number of fry born can vary greatly, so there can be either 3-4 or 10-12 of them. They are gestated for more than 10 months. After about 10 years of life, the animal reaches its maximum size. Today, the bull shark is a target for poachers, as its meat is highly valued.
Bull shark, bull shark, bluntnose shark, tubhead shark - Carcharhinus leucas
The gray bull shark is a truly unique member of its family, which is responsible for more than half of the human deaths that occur as a result of attacks by predatory sharks. This is an unusually aggressive species, whose representatives are absolutely omnivorous, have powerful teeth similar in shape to the teeth of tiger sharks, and live in coastal areas near densely populated areas. Thanks to all of the above, the gray bull shark is rightfully one of the three most dangerous man-eating sharks for people.
Official statistics do not reflect the real facts - the number of attacks significantly exceeds what is indicated in the documentation. This is explained by the fact that sharks live near the coasts of third world countries, India, Africa, and other areas where shark attacks are not widely publicized and, as a result, are not recorded. In addition, sharks of this species are much more difficult to identify than, for example, tiger or white sharks, so their attack may be recorded as an attack by “unidentified shark species.”
The bull shark also thrives in fresh water, which only increases its danger to humans. Functioning in such conditions is possible thanks to the shark’s ability to control the osmoregulation of its own body - it painlessly adapts to desalination of water with the help of gills and the rectal gland. The bull shark is found in the rivers of South and North America, Australia, the USA, Iran, India and many other countries. Cases of its habitat have also been recorded in freshwater lakes, in large cities of Illinois, New Jersey, in the central part of New York and even 4000 km upstream of the Amazon River, and one of the varieties of the bull shark - Сarcharhinus nicaraguensis, Gill & Bransford - permanent resident of Lake Nicaragua.
By the way, Nicaragua is the largest lake in Central America, connected to the Caribbean Sea by the San Juan River, whose length is 200 km. The sharks that live there are absolutely unique - they are the only species capable of long-term residence in fresh water. Most scientists, however, believe that Nicaraguan sharks are a variety of gray bull sharks and are not a separate species. The inhabitants of Nicaragua reach significant sizes - the average length of their body is 2.5–3.5 m.
Habitats of the bull shark and its varieties
Quite often, the gray bull shark is found in the Panama Canal, whose waters form a complex mixture of the waters of numerous lakes with the waters of two oceans. There are frequent cases of its appearance in Guatemala's Lake Isabel and in the Atchafalaya River, located 250 km from the sea in Louisiana. According to eyewitnesses, she was also seen in the canals of central and southern Florida, but such cases have not been proven or documented by specialists.
But in the countries of the Indochina region, including South China and India, the bull shark is extremely revered. Here, at the mouth of the Ganges River, lives a species that constantly feeds on human flesh: according to local customs, the corpses of people belonging to the highest castes are lowered into the waters of the Ganges, considered sacred, where they are devoured by bloodthirsty predators.
Australia is quite common in reports of shark attacks. Aggressive and incredibly voracious sharks periodically attack divers, and also swim inland along river mouths. And not so long ago in Queensland, an Australian city, a shark attack on a racehorse was recorded: sharks of this species can easily cope not only with humans, but also with larger mammals, thanks to their speed, strength and the constantly used so-called signature technique with a headbutt followed by a bite.
Bull sharks are often the heroines of ancient legends, and in some South African villages they are generally sacred.
According to scientists, the male bull shark is the most aggressive creature on our planet. His body produces a huge amount of testosterone, the male hormone that is responsible for the formation of this behavioral characteristic. This theory is constantly supported by practice: the sudden outbursts of rage to which bull sharks are subject make them rush at any moving object, which sometimes turns out to be the propeller of a boat motor.
The shape of the snout of this predator is flattened and blunt, the teeth are sharp, slightly jagged at the edges. Cubs of this species of shark are born with teeth, and if one of them falls out, the back one simply protrudes forward, taking its place. Only the back row of teeth is constantly growing, providing the shark with additional weapons.
Representatives of this species are unusually strong and fast, which makes it almost impossible to escape from them in the event of an attack - they torment the victim to the last, even if it inflicts painful retaliatory blows. In addition, their behavior, as a rule, is completely unpredictable - they can either instantly attack a swimmer or move around him for quite a long time with an absent look. The attack can be either a serious attack or a bite to investigate an object. An attack is inevitable if a stranger crosses the boundaries of the shark’s domain: it jealously guards its personal space and attacks anyone who infiltrates it.
A shark attack cannot be completely ruled out while a person is in the water directly, but there are a number of rules that will help reduce the likelihood of misfortune.
First of all, you should avoid muddy waters that are located near where rivers flow into the ocean. In conditions of poor visibility, the bull shark attacks any large objects. It is worth holding off on swimming after heavy rainfall: water currents can wash organic matter into sea waters, which is extremely attractive to sharks. Cases of attacks by bull sharks on people wading across the river have been recorded; extreme caution should be exercised in such a situation.
Do not be deceived by the apparent awkwardness of a four-meter shark - it is capable of attacking a gaping swimmer or a pet who carelessly comes close to the water in a split second. In pursuit of prey, a shark can develop incredible speed, and it is also extremely tenacious and resilient.
Thus, representatives of the gray bull shark can be found not only in the waters of all oceans, but also in many fresh waters.
What are the features of this unique predator?
It is a fairly large fish with a massive spindle-shaped body. The shark's snout is blunt, its head is quite large, and its eyes are equipped with membraned eyelids. The dimensions of the front fin are significantly larger than the rear fin. There is a small cutout on the elongated upper blade of the caudal fin. The lower teeth are slightly narrower than the upper teeth, all of them have a triangular shape and jagged ends. Among other members of the family, the bull shark is distinguished by its characteristic head shape and blunt snout, due to which the shark received the name “blunt-snout”. The length of females, as a rule, is 4.5 meters, while males are slightly smaller - their length is usually 2.5 m. The record holder in terms of weight among already caught sharks is considered to be a shark with a mass of 316.5 kg.
The back of the shark is gray, towards the abdominal part of the body the color smoothly turns into light. There are no spots or patterns on the body - the color is quite discreet. The coloring, however, is affected by illumination - in shallow water the shark is practically invisible, and in muddy water it is especially dangerous.
Like any other shark, the bull shark reproduces by viviparity. During pregnancy, the female turns into a kind of incubator: she carries all the eggs within herself. Childbirth, as a rule, occurs in the summer - from May to August, as a result of which about 12 sharks are born, which are immediately left to their own devices. Young individuals reach sexual maturity at 3–4 years, before which they usually function in shallow water, hiding from enemies and looking for easy prey to feed on. The average lifespan is 27–28 years.
In English, the name of the shark sounds like “bullshark,” which literally translates as “bull shark.” The Spanish version is "tiburon cabeza de batea", which can be translated as "shark with a head like a tub." As for the Russian language, the most commonly used option here is the name “blunt snout” or “gray bull shark.” The shark received its rather unusual name due to its unpredictable and ferocious temperament, as well as its ability to live in fresh water: shepherds drove bulls out to water, and as soon as the animal wandered into the water, sharks attacked it and dragged it away as prey.
The first impression of a bull shark is quite deceptive - it seems slow, lazy and clumsy, but in pursuit of prey it acquires enormous speed and extraordinary maneuverability. Sometimes it, like the tiger shark, is called the “scavenger of sea waters.” As a rule, it moves quite slowly and even lazily around its area in search of moving objects that can serve as prey for it. Once the goal is chosen, to achieve it the shark applies strength and speed that can truly be envied.
The gray bull shark has a reputation as an unusually resilient predator - it has enormous endurance, as well as a low pain threshold. There are known cases when sharks of this species, already caught and thrown ashore, devoured their own offal - they have an extremely strong will to live, which is clearly expressed in the behavior of any individual of the species.
Adult sharks are usually absolutely picky in terms of food choice - they are omnivores and can feed on live fish and crabs, as well as almost any garbage. They can even eat carrion, and, what is the most terrible fact about them, even human flesh. However, the usual diet of a shark of this species includes large and small invertebrates, young cartilaginous fish, bony fish and dolphins of various sizes.
The most common victims of bull sharks among people are lone swimmers who swim, as a rule, in the morning or, conversely, late in the evening. The depth of attack is usually small - only 0.5–1 m.
The most notorious shark attack on people is considered to be one that occurred in the US state of New Jersey, located near New York, in 1916. Then, within a couple of days, four people died, and one was seriously injured. After some time, the alleged culprit of the tragedy was caught using a net. The bloodthirsty lover of human flesh was put on public display. It turned out to be not even an adult, but just a baby great white shark, whose length barely reached 2 meters. However, there is no certainty that the same shark was caught and destroyed, and many experts are even inclined to argue that only a gray bull shark could have committed such attacks. A fact that supports this statement is the water of the river in which the attacks were recorded - it was fresh.
The terrible tragedy formed the basis of the famous film “Jaws” - the first of its genre, which was centered around the deadly danger of sharks. However, the main character of this film was still a great white shark, and not a bull gray.
Like any shark, the bull shark occupies a place at the top of the food pyramid and has practically no serious enemies that can significantly harm it. The only exceptions are killer whales and fellow whales that are larger in size than a specific individual. The greatest threat to this type of shark is man and his activities, and not only those related to the destruction of fish for food purposes (their fins and meat are considered a delicacy) - sometimes sharks are killed just like that, because of the potential danger they pose for people. In places actively used by humans to carry out activities in water or on the shores of reservoirs, sharks are constantly caught and killed, but we should not forget about the importance of every element of flora and fauna for the functioning of the planet - the uncontrolled destruction of any species, even such a dangerous one, will inevitably lead to negative consequences. The most important task is to find ways of peaceful coexistence between humans and sharks, which would be as safe as possible for both species, and would not declare sharks enemies of humanity, everywhere destroying their population, the recovery of which is very, very slow.