Bull shark, or blunt-nosed shark (Carcharhinus leucas) is a species of sharks from the Carcharhiniformes family.

   Row - Carchariformes
   A family - gray sharks
   Genus/Species - Carcharhinus

   Basic data:
DIMENSIONS
Length: up to 3.5 m.
Weight: up to 50 kg.

BREEDING
Puberty: achieved with a length of 1.5-2.5 meters.
Pregnancy period: 10-11 months
Number of cubs: from 3 to 13 fry.

LIFESTYLE
Habits: Males are territorial animals, aggressive towards any potential rivals, which can sometimes be considered even people.
Food: All sharks of this group are omnivorous and, along with live prey (coastal fish and crabs), devour any waste.
Lifespan: no data.

RELATED SPECIES
Californian tritooth shark.

   These sharks, reaching 3.6 m in length, inhabit the coastal regions of the tropical region. The blunt shark and its relatives are undoubtedly dangerous to humans.

FOOD AND HUNTING

   These are rather lazy and slow swimming sharks. The diet consists mainly of large invertebrates, small sharks, other fish and dolphins, along with live prey, they devour any waste. They can eat individuals of their own species. All sharks of this group are omnivorous and, along with live prey (coastal fish and crabs), devour any waste.

HABITAT

   These sharks, reaching 3.6 m in length, inhabit the coastal regions of the tropical region. These rather lazy and slow swimming sharks are common in all oceans. Species belonging to this group often enter rivers and other freshwater bodies, moving 160 miles or more from the sea. They penetrate in particular into the Ganges, Zambezi and many other tropical rivers of Asia, Africa and America. In the freshwater lake of Nicaragua, located in Central America, there is even a living form of the blunt-nosed shark that never goes out to sea. All sharks of this group are omnivorous and, along with live prey (coastal fish and crabs), devour any garbage.

BREEDING

   This is a viviparous fish, the length of which at birth is about 60 cm. Sexual maturity is reached at a length of 1.5-2.5 meters. Pregnancy lasts 10-11 months, after which the female gives birth to 3 to 13 fry.

BULL SHARK AND MAN

   The blunt shark and its relatives are undoubtedly dangerous to people. Especially many attacks were noted in the waters of South Africa. In this area, about 60 people have been attacked during the past 50 years while swimming off the coast, and almost half of the incidents have resulted in lethal outcome. In the same place, in 1942, there was a massive attack by a large number of sharks on passengers of a steamer torpedoed not far from the coast during the war. True, in this case species affiliation sharks has not been identified, and it is likely that representatives of many dangerous species. The number of victims of this bloody massacre also remained unknown.

  

DO YOU KNOW WHAT...

• Their testosterone levels are higher than in any other vertebrate, which partly explains the aggressiveness.
• This species can be kept in special round or rectangular aquariums, the volume of which is at least 3000 liters.
• It is an object of fishing, the meat is eaten. The bull shark is an aggressive shark that is known for its attacks on humans.

  

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE BULL SHARK

   The body length of the marine subspecies of the bull shark reaches 3.5 m, the freshwater subspecies are slightly smaller.
   The color is usually gray, only the belly remains white.

- Range of the bull shark
PLACES OF ACCOMMODATION
These sharks are ubiquitous and frequent rivers. Sometimes they rise many kilometers upstream. In particular, they penetrate into the Ganges, Zambezi and many other rivers of Asia, Africa, America and Australia (for example, into the Clarence River), were observed in the Amazon (near the city of Iquitos, 4000 km from the mouth!), in the Mississippi River (up to St. Louis and the Illinois River), Lake Michigan. Permanently resides in Lake Nicaragua.
PRESERVATION
This species can be kept in special round or rectangular aquariums, the volume of which is at least 3000 liters. Aquariums should be provided with powerful filtration and aeration of water.

From the family gray sharks stupid the most famous. It has several names: a bull shark and a gray one. For what it is called that, you will find out a little later. This subspecies is found almost all over 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. For people, this shark is very dangerous, because it is one of the three most cruel man-eating sharks.

Where does it live?

It is noteworthy that quite often the bull shark enters the rivers. which is not typical of other species. She also goes very far upstream, but in most cases does not fall to a depth of more than 30 meters. If we talk about the Atlantic Ocean, then it can be found off the coast of southern Brazil, the USA, Morocco and Angola. The original home of this predator is considered to be. Here, the blunt-nosed shark is almost everywhere. It can be seen from the coastal zone of Africa and all the way to Kenya. A bull shark visited and here it can be found almost around all the islands. These sharks are not found only along the south side of Australia. A dangerous predator feels great in the muddy waters of the Amazon, it is very common on the Ganges River. bull shark loves warm currents and tries to avoid temperate latitudes.

Appearance of a predator

The body of the bull shark is stocky, which is why people call it "bull" for this simple reason. This corresponds to the aggressiveness of this representative of gray sharks. Males are somewhat 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 the 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 remarkable in that it is an order of magnitude longer than that of other members of the gray shark family, and it is also located slightly lower. The jaws of the predator are compressed very strongly. The bull shark becomes very dangerous also because it is quite difficult to spot. This is due to the gray back, which is completely invisible, especially in muddy water. belly

On nutrition and behavior

This predator is of great interest to researchers because of its unpredictable behavior. In the water, it is impossible to predict the actions of a shark. She can either attack a person or not. The same applies to large animals that are nearby. Apparently, a lot depends on whether she is hungry or not. To date, the bull shark is put in the same place with the white and the degree of danger. As a rule, a representative of this species hunts exclusively alone. It is very rare to see a pair of predators foraging for food. Cases of pack hunting have not been found at all. This may be due to exceptional aggression during foraging, directed even at weaker relatives, which predators later eat. However, the bull shark is extremely lazy and will not chase food once again, especially if it is full. The diet consists of fry of sharks, fish and even dolphins. Although the latter are rarely attacked, because there is a chance of being defeated. This is due to the fact that dolphins rarely swim alone, and in a flock they can easily kill a predator.

It is noteworthy that this species of fish is a territorial animal, this applies to males. For a potential enemy, they can take anyone who swims into their territory. It was not uncommon for people to fall prey to bull sharks simply because they swam too far or dived too deep. By the way, now researchers are talking about a high level of testosterone in the blood of this predator. Apparently, this is due to the excessive aggressiveness of the individual. Today we can say that there are far fewer registered attacks of a blunt shark on a person 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 the attacks of these predators, since there it is Not unusual.

Blunt shark - a danger to humans

It's safe to say that sharks should be avoided in general, regardless of species or size. As for the blunt-nosed sharks, they should be feared the most. In particular, due to the fact that they are very unpredictable and extremely aggressive against a person or any other creature. However, there are practically no cases of this predator attacking a group of people or marine animals. So if you do swim, don't do it alone. Another important point- the blunt-nosed shark feeds at dawn and dusk. It is not recommended to swim too far or even go into the water if there may be a predator in it, as there is a risk of becoming its prey. And in general, swimming on the beach or in the river, where this cannibal is supposed to be, is definitely not worth it. Moreover, this representative can be located both in salt and in fresh water The main thing is that it should be warm. It always makes sense to swim as close to the shore as possible. Often the gray bull shark, or blunt-nosed shark, does not swim too close to shallow water.

Conclusion

So we examined what kind of predator it is - a blunt shark. The danger to a person is extremely great, especially if she has Bad mood Or she's 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 the babies on the first day is no more than 60 centimeters. Individuals reach sexual maturity with 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 pieces. They hatch for more than 10 months. After about 10 years of life, the animal reaches its maximum size. Today, the bull shark is the target of poachers, as its meat is highly valued.

Who is a bull shark?

The bull shark is absolutely unique creation. It is this fish that is the culprit in more than half of the cases of shark attacks on bathers. It is this fish that is the only shark capable of for a long time live in fresh water.

And it is this shark, with its disgusting reputation, that can be found in the waters of all oceans. Let's take a closer look at these phenomenal predators.

The bull shark, also known as the bull shark, belongs to the Carcharhiniformes family. This creature got its strange name for a fish for its ferocious unpredictable temper, and for its ability: when the shepherds drove the herd to a watering hole, bull sharks dragged big bulls into dark waters.

Freshwater bull sharks

The gills and rectal gland are the tools by which this species extracts or secretes salt. There are cases when bull sharks were caught 4000 km upstream of the Amazon. Not surprising is the presence of bull sharks in the rivers of New Jersey, Illinois, downtown New York and other major cities.

This bloodthirsty animal constantly lives in the lakes of Mississippi and Nicaragua, as well as in the Ganges River. In India, by the way, when the corpses of people from the highest caste are thrown into the sacred river waters, it is the bull shark that first feasts on their meat.

Watch video - Freshwater bull shark:

Bull sharks enter fresh waters to give birth to young during the breeding season of the mullet. females give birth to 12-14 half-meter sharks, and they live in rivers or channels until they grow up - about 3-4 years. After that, the kids go to sea in search of larger food.

Bull shark - cannibal #1

Adults are not picky eaters. Their diet is usually dolphins, large invertebrates, mullet and other fish. Bull sharks do not disdain carrion, representatives of their own species and, worst of all, humans.

Most often, lonely bathers became the victims of these fish, and bloodthirsty predators attacked in the morning or at late twilight, and usually at a shallow depth of 0.5-1 meter.

Bull sharks can change body color from dark gray to light, so even in shallow water they are not very noticeable. They are especially dangerous in muddy water.

There are cases of people crossing the river.

The victim is sometimes deceived by the apparent slowness and sluggishness of a 4-meter monster, however, bull sharks are able to attack an unlucky bather or a pet approaching the water with lightning speed. Stubborn and hardy, the predator develops tremendous speed in pursuit of potential food.

It was this species that served as the prototype of the toothy monster from the movie "Jaws". These animals are the last link in the food chain; in nature, bull sharks have no true enemies, except for humans. People use the meat of young individuals, so this species is an object of fishing. On average, a bull shark lives for about 20 years.

Watch video - Attack of a bull shark on a person:

Extreme hardiness and low susceptibility to pain have provided bull sharks. There have been cases when already disembowelled bull sharks, released into the water, feasted on their own giblets.

Many legends are dedicated to these fish. In some villages in South Africa, bull sharks are considered sacred. In general, bull sharks are born perfect killers. These carnivorous aggressors produce more testosterone than any other creature.

The snout of predators has a flattened, blunt shape, which increases maneuverability, and a full mouth of teeth provides a reliable weapon.

By the way, sharks are already born with a large number of sharp teeth, and if a tooth falls out in front, a new one does not grow, and the one growing behind the fallen one simply moves forward. Only the back row is constantly growing, replenishing the jaws of fish with new deadly weapons.

In females of blunt-nosed sharks, as in other types of predators,. Giving birth to bloodthirsty babies, the newly-made mother, without looking back, swims away - to look for a new helpless victim.

The bull shark is an aggressive predator that has the right to claim the title of an ideal and all-powerful animal. It is impossible to escape from the king of the oceans - and, swimming in a quiet backwater, are you afraid to come close to a predator sowing death?

Watch video - Deadly blunt shark:

Appearance

The blunt-nosed shark (from the Latin Carcharhinus leucas), it is also bull or gray, belongs to the class of gray sharks from the order of carchariformes. The fish got its name for its distinctively shaped snout. They have a very large body with a large head and a blunt snout. On the back they have a large front fin, the rear is much smaller in size. The caudal fin has a cutout on an elongated blade at the end. Above the pectoral fin is the last gap of the gills.

The body of sharks is predominantly gray in color, 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 the light. Therefore, they should be especially wary 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 average weight is 130 kg.

The teeth of the fish are triangular plate-shaped and very sharp, and the teeth of the upper jaw are wider than the lower. Jaws are capable of capturing prey with a force of 600 kg.

Habitat geography

Geographically, the bull shark's habitat is very extensive. As a rule, the predator is constantly 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, most often representatives of this species live in coastal waters ah from Kenya to South Africa, the Persian Gulf and the coastal regions of southwestern India.
• AT pacific ocean fish can be seen in the waters of Australia, Oceania, from the waters of Ecuador to northern California.

Since the predator feels good in fresh water, it has been found more than once in the mouths of the rivers of India and the USA, in particular Illinois and New Jersey, as well as fresh water reservoirs that communicate with the sea. In the muddy waters of the Amazon, 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 the accumulation of salt."

reproduction

Like other gray sharks, the blunt-nosed shark reproduces by live birth. The female bears fertilized eggs in herself. Pregnancy lasts 12 months. Females give birth in bays, estuaries. Each female gives birth to about a dozen sharks up to 70 cm long. From the first days they learn and get used to independent life without outside help. The first year of life, predators, as a rule, spend close to the coast. So it is easier for them to get their prey and hide from other predators. Sexual maturity occurs already 3 years after birth, when the length of the fish reaches 1.5 meters. The maximum life expectancy is up to 30 years.

Behavior

Biologists say that bull sharks are among 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 pounce on any moving object, including the motor propeller of a small boat. Due to the flattened shape of the muzzle, sharks are very mobile.

Having a very large geography habitat, especially near densely populated shores, as well as the presence of deadly teeth, gives reason for the gray shark to be called a cannibal. More than half of the attacks of predators on people in the water fall precisely on the share of the blunt-nosed shark. Most often, residents of African countries, as well as the coastal waters of India, are attacked.

AT recent times recorded a large number of attacks on bathers and divers 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, and especially where the river flows into the sea. It is also undesirable to swim after heavy torrential rains, because rains 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 sharks, rays, 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 and wait for their prey for a long time before making an instant deadly attack. They are also considered to be "scavengers", as they use carrion and garbage.

Despite its bloodthirstiness and the fact that the blunt 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 probability of being attacked by a predator is very high.

Since this species is an important link in the animal kingdom of the entire biosystem, the uncontrolled extermination of these fish can upset the balance in the ecosystem, which will lead to serious consequences for flora and fauna.

Video about the most dangerous predator living in the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Pacific oceans

Ferocious, omnivorous and swift - such is the blunt-nosed shark, plowing fresh and salty waters around 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 shark

It is also called the gray bull shark, given its belonging to the family and genus Gray sharks.. She got the name Bull shark (bull shark) because of the huge blunt muzzle, as well as the bad habit of hunting gobies driven by shepherds to a watering hole. The Spanish-speaking peoples gave the predator the longest nickname - a 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 Jakob Henle and Johann Peter Müller.

Appearance, dimensions

It's massive cartilaginous fish with a body resembling a spindle. Against the background of other gray sharks, it looks more stocky and dense. Males are smaller than females - the female (on average) weighs 130 kg with a length of about 2.4 m, and the male pulls 95 kg with a length of 2.25 m. True, there is information about more impressive individuals, whose weight was close to 600 kg, and the length is 3.5–4 m.

The snout (flattened and blunt) contributes to better maneuverability, and small eyes are equipped with a nictitating membrane, like all relatives from the family of sawtooth sharks. Powerful teeth (triangular in shape with a serrated edge) look like teeth: they are narrower in the lower jaw than in the upper. It happens that a shark loses anterior tooth, and then a tooth from the back row is put forward in its place, where new deadly teeth are constantly being formed.

The posterior dorsal fin is much smaller than the anterior, and the caudal fin has an elongated upper lobe with a notch at the end. In some sharks, the edges of the fins are somewhat darker than the background of the body, but the color of the body is always uniform, without streaks or patterns. Inconspicuous coloring helps the predator to disguise itself in shallow water: the gray color on the back smoothly flows along the sides into a lighter belly. In addition, the bull shark is able to control the intensity of the color, based on the light 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 is also able to distinguish food or dangerous objects, focusing on the sounds emanating from them or on the color (bright yellow objects / creatures at the bottom cause particular alertness).

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, in order 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 branded pushes, complemented by bites.

Important! Those who don't want to run into blunt-nosed sharks should avoid muddy waters (especially where the river flows into the sea). In addition, you should not enter the water after a heavy downpour, when it is overflowing with organic matter that attracts sharks.

It is almost impossible to escape from the aggressor - the shark torments the sufferer to the last. Predators attack anyone who crosses the borders of their underwater possessions, often mistaking even the propellers of outboard motors for an enemy.

How long does a bull shark live

The limiting lifespan of a species is estimated in different ways. Some ichthyologists claim that the bull shark lives a little longer than 15 years, 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 fresh rivers. These predatory fish are found in tropical and subtropical waters, occasionally dropping just below 150 m (more often they are seen at a depth of about 30 m). in the atlantic blunt sharks mastered water spaces from Massachusetts to the southern part of Brazil, as well as from Morocco to Angola.

In the Pacific, 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 very revered and feared by the inhabitants of several states, 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 lower their dead tribesmen from the higher castes into its sacred waters.

Diet of the blunt shark

The predator does not have a refined taste and eats everything that is in sight, including garbage and carrion. In search of dinner, the bull shark slowly and lazily explores its personal feeding area, speeding up sharply at the sight of suitable prey. He prefers to search for food alone, swimming in muddy waters that hide the shark from a potential victim. If the object tries to run away, the bull shark kicks it in the side and bites. The thrusts are interspersed with bites until the victim finally capitulates.

The standard diet of a blunt shark is:

• marine mammals, including dolphins;
• juvenile cartilaginous fish;
• invertebrates (small and large);
• bone fish 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 animals that have come to the rivers to drink.

It is interesting! Unlike other sharks, they are not afraid to attack objects that are 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 arrogance and food promiscuity of the species are especially dangerous for people who from time to time fall into the teeth of these monsters.

Reproduction and offspring

The mating season of the blunt-nosed shark falls on late summer and early autumn.. The wildness and viciousness of the species, or rather, its males, are fully manifested in love games: it is not for nothing 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 pounce on everything that moves nearby.

It is interesting! The partner does not bother 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.

The predators enter the flooded mouths of the rivers to give birth, wandering through shallow water (the bull shark is characterized by live birth, like the rest of the gray sharks). The female turns into a living incubator, where the embryos grow for 12 months. Pregnancy ends with the birth of 10-13 sharks (0.56-0.81 m tall), which immediately show sharp serrate teeth. The mother does not care about the children at all, which is why they have to lead an independent life from the first days.

Juveniles do not leave the estuaries for several years: here it is easier for them to find food and hide from pursuers. Childbearing age occurs, as a rule, at 3–4 years, when males stretch to 1.57–2.26 m, and young females - up to 1.8–2.3 m. born and raised, and sail towards the elements of the sea for entry into adulthood.