The tiger shark is a deadly predator, built for both stealth and brute force. The stripes on its back help it blend in with plants on the sandy ocean floor. Weighing more than a ton, this creature can strike its victims with the impact of a freight train. A fierce but deliberate hunter, the tiger shark has a reputation as a man-eater, second only to the great white.
Can't Hide: One reason the tiger shark is such a great hunter is its eyesight. Not only is its vision sharp, but this creature can see in almost all directions, giving it a panoramic view of where prey may be hiding.
Nose Job: Just inside the nostrils are tiny membranes called lamellae that detect the faintest traces of blood and other tempting scents in the ocean.
Night Stalker[]
These sharks are called "tigers" because of the stripes on their backs.
After the sun sets, the massive tiger shark swims up from the deep ocean to feed along sea coasts and coral reefs. Before this creature attacks, it often swims in circles around its prey to size up its victim. It waits for just the right moment and then strikes. This shark is the terror of shallow ocean waters, and no creature is safe-not even humans.
All You Can Eat: Tiger sharks are not choosy eaters. They are known to feed around waste disposal areas, eating anything that's dumped out, even raw sewage.
On the Half Shell: Turtles are one of the tiger shark's favorite foods, and the sharks often hang out near the shores of turtle nesting sites. When female turtles-exhausted from laying eggs-go back into the water, they make easy targets.
Whoa Dude![]
- Paddling out to catch a wave, a surfer doesn't know a tiger shark is eyeing him as a potential meal. From below, the man's arms and legs dangling over the board make it easy to mistake him for a turtle.
- The shark slams into the board and smashes it to pieces. But the terrified surfer is lucky. Since the shark didn't taste the fresh meat and blood of a turtle, it will go on to look for another meal.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- While it does not share any photos with the Wildlife Explorer card, the tiger shark illustration on the front of the Weird n' Wild Creatures card greatly resembles the photo used for the front of the Wildlife Explorer card:
- The dorsal and pectoral fins are featured in the same position.
- The teeth share formation, down to the space in the gums in front of one of the teeth.
- The nostrils and eyes also line up, as do the wrinkles on the side of its mouth.
- The tiger shark is mentioned on several other cards:
- It's mentioned on the card of it's cousin, the Sand Tiger Shark, for it's reputation as a "man-eater".
- The tiger shark is featured as a predator on the Dugong knowledge card, trying to attack one in "Power Line".
- The tiger shark is featured on several Monster Mania cards:
- The tiger shark is first used as one of the example animals used for Create-A-Monster on Monster Mania 5.
- It is later featured in Odd Creature Out on Monster Mania 7.
- The tiger shark's trading card is featured on Monster Mania 21.
- The shark is featured again in Man-Eaters on Monster Mania 33.