Unveiling the Bull Shark: The Overlooked Apex Predator

The bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) is an underrated shark that lives in the shadows of the great white shark and the tiger shark. Yet, did you know that the bite of the bull shark is the strongest of the three? Also, unlike the great white or tiger shark, which are strictly marine animals, bull sharks can live in both freshwater and saltwater. Dive in to discover a dozen incredible bull shark facts.

1. Female Bull Sharks Outweigh Male Bull Sharks

The male bull shark is roughly 7 feet long and 200-300 pounds. Impressive, right? Well, the female bull shark weighs up to double this at 400 to 500-plus pounds!

2. The Bull Shark Has More Teeth Than Your Average Shark

Bull sharks not only have super-powerful bites, but they also have way more teeth than your average shark. While most sharks have 5-15 rows of teeth, the bull shark has a whopping 50 rows, each with 7 teeth, for a total of 350+ teeth.

3. Bull Sharks Can Live in Both Saltwater and Freshwater

Most sharks are limited to saltwater. Bull sharks, on the other hand, can live in both, switching between freshwater and saltwater! This is due to a very unique process called osmoregulation, which allows them to adjust the saturation of water and salt in their bodies. In saltwater, they will urinate out more salt to balance it out. In freshwater, they will hold onto more salt and urinate more freshwater. The more you know!

4. Bull Shark Fins Are Used in Soup

Tragically, humans are the bull shark’s primary predator. These stout, pale-bellied sharks are hunted for their fins. This is most common in Asia, where they are used in a delicacy called shark fin soup.

This dish was once reserved for royalty but is now served at weddings and other special occasions for those who can afford it. The cartilage is removed from the fin and dried before being used in the soup. As it rehydrates in the soup, it soaks up the flavor of the soup. While the dish is popular, it may potentially put the long-term well-being of the bull shark at risk!

5. Bull Sharks Can Swim (Extremely Far) Upriver

Because they can swim in freshwater and because they’re very strong swimmers, bull sharks can make it impressively far upriver. In one of the most noteworthy recorded instances, a bull shark was found in the Amazon River, almost 2500 miles from the ocean! They’ve also been found over a thousand miles up the Mississippi River, and they frequent the Zambezi River in Africa and the Ganges River in Southern Asia.

6. The Bull Shark is a Super-Opportunistic Eater

The bull shark feeds primarily on fish, including marlin, tuna, bass, dolphins, sea otters, lobsters, oysters, and even sea birds. These opportunistic eaters also hunt sea turtles, using their powerful bite to crack the shell. When times are tough, they will even hunt and eat each other!

7. Bull Sharks Occasionally Hunt Baby Hippos

Though it is a rare occurrence, bull sharks have been known to prey on hippopotamus calves. Unsurprisingly, hippos do not like their company. Bull sharks will even occasionally go in for a bite on an adult hippo, perhaps mistaking it for a young hippo or some other water mammal. Both of these events can result in an enraged hippo attack!

8. The Bull Shark Bites Harder Than the Great White Shark

The bull shark’s bite packs quite a punch, at a whopping 5,914 Newtons (1,330 pounds/foot). Compared to the 4,000 Newtons of a great white and the tiger shark, at 3,300 Newtons, the bull shark’s bite is incredibly powerful!

9. Crocodiles Attack and Eat Bull Sharks

While humans are by far the biggest threat to bull sharks, crocodiles also prey on bull sharks. These large, fearsome reptiles will attack and eat bull sharks.

10. Bull Sharks Do Not Eat People, But May Still Attack

While bull sharks do not actively hunt people, they are still an aggressive species. Bull shark attacks on humans are uncommon. They prefer fish and more natural prey, but bull sharks do frequent shallow waters when humans may be present, and mistakes happen.

11. Bull Sharks Can Be Seen at Aquariums and Do Well in a Tank

Most shark species cannot tolerate aquariums for more than a few months, but bull sharks are different. As long as they have ample room and good care, bull sharks seem to tolerate life in captivity. The Oklahoma Aquarium, located in Jenks, Oklahoma, has the largest group (10) of bull sharks in the world.

12. Jaws Is Probably (Loosely) Based on A Real Bull Shark

In 1916, a series of shark attacks occurred in New Jersey, leaving four people dead and a fifth seriously injured. The 7.5-foot shark was ultimately caught, its stomach full of human remains. This incident was the inspiration for Peter Benchley’s book Jaws and the resulting movie.