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Bull Shark

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Adult bull (Carcharhinus leucas) at Shark Reef Marine Preserve, Beqa Lagoon, Fiji

Bull sharks are mainly found in the warmer and shallower coastal waters of the southern hemisphere. The bull shark is one of the most common species of shark found worldwide.

The bull shark is able to inhabit both salt and freshwater sources just as happily, with one bull shark known to have swum 4,000 km up the Amazon River in South America, finally ending up in the mountainous Peru.

The bull shark is well known for its unpredictable and aggressive temperament and is thought to be one of the most dangerous sharks towards humans. This is probably because the bull inhabits coastal waters and rivers and is therefore more likely to come into contact with swimmers and water sports enthusiasts.

The bull shark is an effective and dominant predator in its environment and so has no real natural predator itself. Bull sharks are occasionally hunted by the bigger shark species such as the tiger shark and the infamous great white shark.

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Bull Shark Translations

	Català Tauró camús
	Cesky Žralok bělavý
	Dansk Tyrehaj
	Deutsch Bullenhai
	English Bull shark

	Español Carcharhinus leucas
	Suomi Härkähai
	Français Requin bouledogue
	Bahasa Indonesia Hiu banteng
	Italiano Carcharhinus leucas

	Magyar Bikacápa
	日本語オオメジロザメ
	Nederlands Stierhaai
	Norsk Oksehodehai
	Polski Żarłacz tępogłowy

	Português Tubarão-cabeça-chata
	Svenska Tjurhaj
	Türkçe Boğa köpekbalığı
	中文公牛鯊

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Bull Shark Facts

Kingdom: Five groups that classify all living things...	Animalia
Phylum: A group of animals within the animal kingdom...	Chordata
Class: A group of animals within a pylum...	Chondrichthyes
Order: A group of animals within a class...	Carcharhiniformes
Family: A group of animals within an order...	Carcharhinidae
Genus: A group of animals within a family...	Carcharhinus

Scientific Name: Comprised of the genus followed by the species...	Carcharhinus Leucas
Type: The animal group that the species belongs to...	Fish
Diet: What kind of foods the animal eats...	Carnivore
Size (L): How long (L) or tall (H) the animal is...	2.1m - 3.5m (7ft - 11.5ft)
Weight: The measurement of how heavy the animal is...	90kg - 230kg (200lbs - 500lbs)
Top Speed: The fastest recorded speed of the animal...	40km/h (25mph)
Life Span: How long the animal lives for...	16 - 25 years
Lifestyle: Whether the animal is solitary or sociable...	Solitary
Conservation Status: The likelihood of the animal becoming extinct...	Least Concern

Colour: The colour of the animal's coat or markings...	Blue, Grey
Skin Type: The protective layer of the animal...	Scales
Favourite Food:	Fish
Habitat: The specific area where the animal lives...	Shallow and tropical waters
Average Litter Size: The average number of babies born at once...	10
Main Prey: The food that the animal gains energy from...	Fish, Sharks, Stingray
Predators: Other animals that hunt and eat the animal...	Human, Tiger sharks
Distinctive Features: Characteristics unique to the animal...	Flat, rounded snout and two dorsal fins

Related Animals

	Great White Shark Can grow to more than 8 meters long!
	Grey Reef Shark One of the most common shark species!
	Hammerhead Shark Found in coastal waters around the world!
	Nurse Shark Commonly found in Central American waters!
	Spiny Dogfish Found in ocean waters worldwide!
	Tiger Shark The fourth biggest species of shark in the world!
	Whale Shark The largest species of fish in the world!