Name: Bull Shark
Local name: Yaryyor
Scientific name: Carcharhinus leucas
Classification: Class: cartilaginous fishes; Order: ground sharks; Family: requiem sharks (Carcharhinidae)
Synonym: Carcharhinus zambezensis
Size: It commonly attains a length of 260 cm; males may reach a maximum length of 360 cm and females 400 cm.
Habitat:
The Bull Shark inhabits shallow coastal waters, especially bays. It feeds on a great variety of prey organisms, including bony fishes, other sharks, rays, crabs, squid, sea snails, sea urchins, mammalian carrion, and sea turtles. Sexual maturity is attained at an age of 10 – 15 years. Viviparous, females giving birth to litters of up to 13 young. It is common in the Arabian Gulf and often considered the most dangerous tropical shark species.
Distribution:
This species is cosmopolitan in tropical and subtropical waters, widespread in all warm oceans, and it also enters rivers and lakes.
Conservation status:
According to the IUCN Red List it is Neat Threatened (NT). Though not commercially important, this species is considered a good food fish and utilized for human consumption and fishmeal.
Description:
This is a massive shark with a short, broad and blunt snout, small eyes and triangular saw-edged upper teeth. It has no interdorsal ridge. Bull Sharks are grey in color dorsally and laterally, becoming white ventrally. Fins of young are often tipped or edged with blackish; these markings fade in adults.
