Understanding Bull Sharks: Their Appearance, Behavior, and Diet

Bull Sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) are beautiful and powerful denizens of the sea. Weighing hundreds of pounds, they must consume at least 3% of their body weight twice a week. They prefer fish, but also eat small mammals, sea turtles, and even birds. In short, bull sharks are not picky eaters! Let’s dive into what bull sharks eat!

What Do Bull Sharks Look Like?

Bull sharks are dark to light gray on top, with pale bellies. They are rather stout, medium-sized sharks. While males measure a respectable 7 feet on average, females can reach an impressive 11 feet. The eyes of bull sharks are small, and their snouts are blunt and round.

These saltwater dwellers inhabit the shallowest, warmest parts of the Atlantic Ocean off the U.S. East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. There have also been occasional sightings of bull sharks in the Mississippi and Amazon Rivers. A physiological adaptation, called osmoregulation, allows bull sharks to swim in both fresh and saltwater.

Do Bull Sharks Attack People?

Bull sharks prefer shallow waters, which can place them in proximity to humans, which begs the question: Do bull sharks attack people? The short answer is, yes, bull sharks have been known to attack humans. Bull sharks are responsible for a significant portion of the roughly 50–70 unprovoked shark attacks reported globally each year, though fatal attacks remain rare. Bull sharks do not view humans as food and are not likely to attack unless they are provoked or feel threatened.

What Do Bull Sharks Eat?

Despite their intimidating size, bull sharks are predominantly fish-eaters. They are also known to eat sea turtles, seals, and birds. They will also kill and eat each other.

Bull sharks hunt alone, and they rely on both stealth and speed to make their kills. Luckily for the local sea life, they only need to eat a couple of solid meals (consisting of about 3% of their body weight) each week.

Here’s a list of some of the most common things a bull shark might consider for a meal or snack!

• Dolphins. Although bull sharks typically seek out smaller prey, they have been known to hunt dolphins.
• Seals. As with dolphins, seals are not the bull shark’s usual fare.
• Sea otters.
• Stingrays.
• Squid
• Sea bass
• Mackerel
• Oysters
• Scallops
• Lobster
• Bluefish
• Marlins
• Flounders
• Tuna
• Shrimp

So, if you’ve been wondering, ‘What do bull sharks eat?’ you have your answer. They eat just about everything, although they prefer smaller, easier prey in general. Also, while they don’t hunt people for food, they may bite out of curiosity or in self-defense. When all is said and done, it’s wise to maintain a healthy wariness of the mighty bull shark!