Sensational shark snacks

Next week starts Shark Week on the Discovery Channel! I am so excited. It’s one magnificent week filled with specials about these razor toothed predators of the oceans. NatGeo had Sharkfest for a couple weeks and I watched it too. These days, with streaming services, I can get sharks anytime I am in the mood and it’s glorious! I am a total shark nerd and have always had a fascination with these misunderstood powerhouses of the deep. The Great White is my favorite but I have already discussed it in my column a couple years ago. This year, I want to discuss one of the most dangerous.

The tiger shark is an aggressive ground shark that gets its name from the dark stripes down its body, which resemble a tiger’s pattern, but fade as the shark matures. It is typically about 13 feet in length but can reach lengths over 16 feet. The females are larger than males typically topping out about 2,000 lbs. Although, one pregnant female measure off the coast of Australia measured over 18 feet long and 3,300 lbs! The tiger shark is a solitary, mostly nocturnal hunter. Tiger shark teeth are unique with very sharp, pronounced serrations and an unmistakable sideways-pointing tip. Such teeth have developed to slice through flesh, bone, and other tough substances such as turtle shells. Relative to the shark’s size, tiger shark teeth are considerably shorter than those of a great white shark, but they are nearly as broad at the root and are arguably better suited to slicing through hard-surfaced prey. Tiger sharks are known as the garbage disposal of the ocean. Often when these sharks are found deceased, the stomachs contain totally inedible things such as tires, license plates, plastics and even baseballs. Their diet is also the most varied of all sharks. They will eat anything from birds and snakes to seals and sea lions, from jellyfish to mollusks to sea turtles, and, along coastal towns, even horses, cats, dogs and rats are on the menu. Basically, if they chomp down on it, they are going to eat it.

In the oceans, only larger sharks and orcas pose a threat to the tiger shark. Even so, they are a near threatened species due to human activity. There are several reasons for this. Some sharks tangle in fishing nets and die as a result. Some are killed for sport, for the thrill of the hunt. Some are killed due to human fear. Movies like Jaws terrified the public and caused irrational fears that resulted in hundreds of thousands of sharks of all species being killed for no reason. Too many attacks in one area often causes mass hysteria and the result is often shark culls (where they kill every shark they see indiscriminately). The saddest reason though is commercialism. Sharks are killed for their teeth and jaws which are sold worldwide. Some cultures eat shark fin soup or eat shark liver as a delicacy. Often, the shark’s fins are removed whether the shark is dead or alive and the rest of the shark is discarded creating tons of waste and decimating the numbers of sharks in the ocean. While this is falling out of favor due to public backlash against shark finning, it still happens in alarming numbers.

Fun Facts: Female tiger sharks have anywhere from 10 to 82 embryos and give birth to an average of 30 to 35 pups per litter. Not many will survive though as juvenile tiger sharks are often eaten by adult tiger sharks.

Tiger sharks will not leave in the face of a hurricane. In fact, after Hurricane Irma, even more tiger sharks were seen in the waters than normal in the aftermath of the storm. It is believed they stick around to eat whatever washes in from the storm.

It is the only species of requiem shark with suction holes. These holes, or spiraculi, are situated behind the eyes. They help to oxygenate blood in vessels that lead directly to the eyes and brain. This allows them to breathe without having to move.

Sharks are powerful predators but are so misunderstood. Discovery and Nat-Geo Channels are trying to help save the sharks by providing understanding. The public is starting to come around and more and more people are becoming advocates, even some shark attack victims. Plan on watching some sharks next week and meet me in the kitchen for fun Shark Week snacks!