Sand Tiger Shark Essay

The animal that I chose is the Carcharias Taurus, which is its scientific name. We may know them as the Sand Tiger Shark. The Carcharias Taurus has many names because it is known in many parts of the world and they are named differently, for example: grey nurse shark, ground shark, spotted ragged tooth shark, slender-tooth shark, spotted sand tiger shark and ground shark. Currently the Sand Tiger Shark is vulnerable and is still living in some areas of the world today. The domain of the Sand Tiger Shark is Eukaryote and its phylum is chordate. According to National Geographic Sand Tiger Shark get their name “from their tendency toward shoreline habitats, and they are often seen trolling the ocean floor in the surf zone, very close to shore.”
They have several colors because on one side it looks pale brown or gray and on the other side, they may have dark spots that fade into its body. When the Sand Tiger shark is older the spots on its body disappear with age. They are large-bodied and display a mouthful of sharp teeth that excel in all directions, even when the mouth is shut. They weight around 200- 350 pounds. Sand Tiger sharks can swim at a speed of 12 miles per hour. At the top of the Sand Tigers fin it has like an indent of cracked fin. It has two identical sized fins on its back and four fins on the bottom of its body. Sand Tiger Shark can range in size from 6.5 to 10.5 feet in length. They can be found in temperate and tropical waters. They are usually found in shallow waters such as surfing areas and near rocky coral reefs. They can go deep into the water about 191 meters. The Sand Tiger is the only shark that is known for coming to the surface and swallow air. The air is stored in the stomach, allowing them to float motionless in the water to find its prey. Sand Tiger sharks are carnivores, they eat bony fish, rays, lobsters, crabs, squid, and other small sharks. They may hunt in groups, but they mostly hunt by