SHARK SPECIES of SOUTHERN AFRICA - Join a shark diving tour with Oceans Africa.
Some ninety-eight species of shark may be found in South African waters. Sharks, rays and skates all belong to the class Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) - their skeletons being made up of cartilage, unlike those of bony fish. Sharks teeth, be they well defined or fused as plates, are continuously replaced throughout the animals life. Instead of swim bladders, sharks have large livers to increase buoyancy and store nutrients. All sharks are carnivorous and have a keen 'sense of smell' as well as being highly sensitive to vibrations and electrical impulses. Of the various species found off South Africa the majority are found in deep waters and are rarely encountered. Most species are harmless and only a few are implicated in attacks on humans - mostly surfers and bathers - with only one recorded attack in South Africa on a scuba diver and that being on the surface.

WHALE SHARK - Rhinocodon typus - VIEW VIDEO
Identification: Unmistakable. Whale sharks are the worlds largest living fish, attaining lengths of 13m and weighing up to 13 tonnes. Once you overcome the initial fear of being in the presence of such an enormous shark several things should then become apparent. The huge, square and very wide mouth (thankfully the 3000 teeth in each jaw are minute and covered by a flap of skin) and the prominent ridging along the back, beautifully decorated with distinctive white spots and dashes - take a deep breath, relax and enjoy the show - see whale shark tours.
Biology: Information is limited. The female produces live young (according to one reference as many as 300) from eggs attached to the uterus. Whale sharks, like the basking shark, are filter feeders, using their huge mouths to 'vacuum' zooplankton, squid and small fish which are then filtered through the sieve like structures inside the 5 large gill slits at each side of the head. It is believed that whale sharks only reach sexual maturity at 30 years of age or approx. 9m in length and that they may have a lifespan exceeding 100 years.
Behaviour: Whale sharks occur in all tropical and warmer temperate waters and are believed to be highly migratory, their movements following plankton blooms and the changing temperatures of water masses, preferring a balmy 21-25 degrees Celsius. Sightings in South Africa are more common in the summer months off the northern coast of KwaZulu Natal - see migration calendar.

GREAT WHITE - Carcharodon carcharias
Identification: Again unmistakable. When you see one you'll really know it. Few other creatures have such an awe inspiring presence. Sleek, silent (no accompanying soundtrack) and unmistakably in charge, the great white's only predators are man and possibly killer whales. Great white sharks are believed attain 7m in length and well over 1000 kg in weight. The body is robust and torpedo shaped, generally charcoal black to dark grey-brown on the upper half in distinct contrast to the white underbelly. The pectoral fins are long and large and black-tipped on the underside. The dorsal fin is very prominent and the archetypal shark-fin shape. The caudal fin (tail) is one of the best means of identification, being sickle shaped and almost symmetrical - the only other shark in our waters with such a tail is the shortfin mako. The teeth on both upper and lower jaws are large and triangular with pronounced serrations along the edges.
Other names - Blue Pointer and Tommy shark - a grizzly reference to the fate of the many British soldiers who went down with the HMS Birkenhead in 1852 near Gansbaai.
Biology: Little is known. Great white sharks are thought to be sexually mature at about 3.5m for males and 4-5m for females. Mating is probably a violent affair - if scars on females are any indication. The gestation period is unknown, but between 2 and 10 juveniles are born live and are around 1.5m in length at birth - their lifespan is thought to be 30-40 years.
Behaviour: Great white sharks feed on other sharks, seals, bony fish, turtles and large rays. Surprisingly, recent research indicates that seals only comprise 20% of their diet. Great white sharks are universally feared, however they have often been wrongly implicated in attacks on bathers - especially in warmer waters where the zambezi and tiger shark are also possible culprits. Great white sharks can be found in all temperate and tropical coastal waters worldwide, seeming to migrate extensively and congregate around seal colonies. Sightings in open waters off South Africa are rare, however a booming cage diving industry has developed around the seal colonies of Cape Town, Mossel Bay and Gansbaai.

SPOTTED RAGGED TOOTH SHARK - Charcharius taurus - VIEW VIDEO
Identification: South Africa's best loved sharks are affectionately known by the locals as 'raggies'. Ragged-tooth sharks can attain 3.2m and 300 kg. They have a plump dark-brown to olive-grey body, a paler underbelly and many large dark spots - these fading with age. Fins are thick and rounded, the first dorsal being well behind the pectorals and only slightly larger than the second dorsal closer to the tail, the lower lobe of the caudal fin is undeveloped, ragged tooth sharks being relatively slow swimmers. The forehead slopes dramatically down to a pointed mouth bearing many long, pointed, awl-shaped teeth, better for gripping than for cutting and forming the characteristic overbite.
Biology: Females ragged-tooth sharks produce as many as 20 000 eggs which are retained in the uterus. Males are easily distinguished by large pair of ventral claspers used to fertilise the female. Mating is a violent affair. During the gestation period of nine months, females move south. Inside the uterus the first embryos to develop consume their own egg parcels and then proceed to consume the remaining embryos and any unfertilised eggs until only two live juveniles emerge - one from each branch of the uterus. After such fierce inter-uterine natural selection the young are left to fend for themselves in the open ocean, often entering estuaries to escape predation.
Behaviour: Ragged-tooth sharks migrate north from the Eastern Cape to mate in the warmer waters of KwaZulu Natal during the winter months. They congregate in large numbers and are an almost guaranteed attraction for divers at Protea Banks, Aliwal Shoal and at Sodwana Bay's Quartermile reef. Despite their fearsome looks and size, the ragged tooth shark has never been implicated in any fatal attacks. If threatened or harassed however, they are certainly capable of causing injury to humans.

ZAMBEZI or BULL SHARK - Carcharhinus leucas
Identification: The body is predominantly grey with a lighter underbelly and attains 3.5m. The Zambezi is a robust shark with a distinctively rounded, blunt, snout. There is no inter-dorsal ridge. Teeth of the upper jaw are triangular and serrated, the lower jaw teeth are more slender. The fins are pointed and well developed. Fin tips are black in juveniles - fading with age. The Zambezi shark is often confused with the comparatively smaller Java Shark - Carcharhinus ambionensis
Biology: Zambezi sharks are remarkable in their ability to tolerate fresh water for long and possibly indefinite periods, having been recorded hundreds of kilometers upstream from temperate to tropical waters worldwide. Up to 12 young are born live in Summer after approx. one year gestation. They reach sexual maturity at about 6 years and a length 2.5m
Behaviour: Aside from their freshwater capabilities Zambezi sharks are generally confined to coastal waters, estuaries and river mouths. They are opportunistic feeders, often found in murky esturine waters, where they feed on bony fish (50% of diet), turtles, small sharks and dolphins, rays and even crabs. Often seen by divers on Protea Banks, Kwazulu Natal, they are not regarded as a threat, although they can be inquisitive and deserve much respect. The Zambezi has however been implicated in many attacks on bathers and surfers worldwide, mostly in murky waters around river mouths and estuaries.

HAMMERHEAD SHARK
Identification: Unmistakable, although identifying exactly which species is another story - about nine species occur worldwide. The body is generally grey dorsally with the distinctive hammer-shaped head, the eyes being located at the ends of the flattened lobes. Teeth are relatively small and serrated.

GREAT HAMMERHEAD - Sphyrna mokarran. The body is olive-brown above and lighter below, attaining up to 5.5m. The head is almost rectangular and notched front and center. The first dorsal is very long, elongated and prominent.

SCALLOPED HAMMERHEAD - Sphyrna lewini. The body is greyish above and paler below, attaining up to 4m. The front edge of the head being more noticeably scalloped in shape. The first dorsal is less prominent than that of the great hammerhead.

SMOOTH HAMMERHEAD - Sphyrna zygaena. The body is greyish above and paler below, attaining up to 4m. The front edge of the head being more smoothly convex in shape, lacking the central indentation found in both the scalloped and great hammerheads. The first dorsal is less prominent than that of the great hammerhead and more rounded than on either the scalloped or great hammerhead sharks.

Biology: Sexual maturity is attained at an approx. length of 2m - 2.5m. After about 6 months gestation the young are born live in litters of up to 40 in number. The hammer-shaped head (swinging from side to side whilst swimming) gives these sharks a wider field of vision than any other shark, implying that sight plays an important role in hunting. The uniquely shaped and highly sensitive head also seems a likely tool for detecting and catching prey hidden beneath the sand. Hammerhead sharks have also been observed using the head quite literally as a hammer to stun prey. Stingrays, sandshark, pilchards, anchovies and squid are all important to their diet.
Behaviour: Found in all temperate and tropical waters worldwide, three species (described above) occur in South African waters - they are assumed to be highly migratory. Adults are found offshore in deeper waters, juveniles are very common inshore from the Western Cape northwards during summer, often swimming just under the surface. Although relatively shy of divers and notoriously difficult to photograph, large specimens are frequently seen by divers on Protea Banks, especially over the sandy bottoms favoured by sand sharks. Hammerhead sharks are not considered to be a threat to swimmers and divers.

TIGER SHARK - Galeocerdo cuvier
Identification: Another unmistakable submarine presence, tiger sharks are thought attain 7m in length, however sightings in South Africa are almost invariably of female sharks under 4m. The robust body bears dark vertical bars along the upper-mid-back, particularly evident in juveniles and fading with age. The snout is blunt and squared when viewed from above. The caudal fin (tail) is distinctively elongated on the upper lobe and is suited to slow cruising and only short, sudden bursts of speed. The first dorsal is prominent and linked to the much smaller second dorsal by an inter-dorsal ridge that also extends forward to the back of the head. Broad, serrated, cockscomb teeth are widely set in both upper and lower jaws.
Biology: Tiger sharks attain sexual maturity at around 3m and give birth to between 10 and 80 live young, measuring 50 to 90cm. Tiger sharks are relatively slow moving and like the ragged tooth shark are able to remain motionless for long periods by regulating water flow over the gills by means of active respiration.
Behaviour: Widespread throughout temperate and tropical seas, tiger sharks are known to enter shallow coastal waters in the vicinity of large river mouths and harbours. A voracious and opportunistic predator, tiger sharks will feed on bony fish, smaller sharks, marine mammals and even birds. Tin cans, plastic bags and livestock have also been found in their stomachs - implying a tendency to scavenge. Studys indicate that tiger sharks range extensively, covering large areas daily, often using a "bouncing" swim pattern of rapid ascents and decents through the water column to detect both benthic and pelagic activity as well as oils from floating or submerged carcasses. In july 2007 we witnessed approximately 15 individual tiger sharks feeding on the carcass of a dead whale. See full report... Periodically seen in the more tropical waters off South Africa, tiger sharks rarely investigate divers, tending rather to cruise past or shy away. They do however, respond well to baiting and can be encouraged to stay around divers in a baited environment. More on baited shark dives...

BRONZE WHALER or COPPER SHARK - Carcharhinus brachyurus
Identification: Bronze whalers can attain a length of over 3m. The sleek body has a bronze-grey sheen dorsally with an off-white underside and is slightly arched above the gills. The fins are well developed and fin tips can be darker. The upper lobe of the caudal fin is more than double the size of the lower. Teeth on the upper jaw are pointed, triangular and slightly slanted. The teeth on the lower jaw are narrower, straighter and smoother.
Biology: Sexual maturity is reached after about 5 years. Young are born live in litters of up to 30 in number.
Behaviour: Primarily found in shallow waters, the bronze whaler favours the cooler, temperate waters and large numbers are known to follow the sardine run up the coast to KwaZulu Natal. They often feed near the bottom, their diet consisting of bony fish, small sharks, skates and squid.

SHORTFIN MAKO - Isurus oxyrinchus
Identification: The shortfin mako is sleek and 'torpedo' shaped, blue to grey dorsally and white underneath. The snout is sharply pointed. Fins are prominent, the tail is distinctively 'sickle' shaped and pectorals are large. Sometimes mistaken for the great white shark, the most noticeable differences being a larger eye and sleeker body. The caudal fin is more prominent and symmetrical and the makos teeth are longer, more slender and unserrated.
Biology: Bears up to 16 young and can attain 4m in length.
Behaviour: Widely distributed. Found offshore and coastally in temperate and tropical waters, feeding on game fish and other bony fish, squid, other sharks and surprisingly few marine mammals. Arguably the fastest fish in the sea. Shortfin makos are occasionally seen performing spectacular leaps from the water - this characteristic behaviour is not fully understood.

DUSKY SHARK - Carcharhinus obscurus
Identification: The absence of distinctive markings is, paradoxically, one of the best means of identification. Dusky sharks are grey to bronze in colour with a lighter underbelly. The snout is rounded . Fin tips are darker but not boldly marked. Pectoral fins are black tiped on the underside. Teeth are triangular and serrated on the upper jaw. Teeth on the lower jaw are slender, smooth and more pointed. Dusky sharks have an interdorsal ridge and may attain 4.2m in length.
Biology: The dusky shark bears up to 14 live young in the summer months.
Behaviour: Dusky sharks are found in coastal waters from Cape Town to the tropics. Commonly caught by anglers and never implicated in attacks on humans, dusky sharks are however the most common catch of the shark nets in KwaZulu Natal. The proliferation of juvenile dusky sharks in the KZN area is prehaps due to the removal of many of the large predatory species by the very same nets. Dusky sharks feed on pelagic and bottom fish, other sharks, skates, rays and carrion.

BLACKTIP SHARK - Carcharhinus limbatus
Identification: . Blacktip sharks are dark brown-bronze in colour with a lighter underbelly and a distinctive light band on the flanks. The body is stout, with a high dorsal fin and a pointed snout. Fin tips are usually black on pectorals, second dorsal, ventral caudal lobe, and the trailing edge of the first dorsal. The anal fin has no black tip unlike that of the spinner shark (Carcharhinus brevipinna) with which it is often misidentified. Teeth are narrow and cusped on the upper jaw. Blacktip sharks have no ridge between dorsal fins and can attain 2.6m in length.
Biology: Blacktip sharks may bear 1-10 pups (usually 4-7) born live in inshore nursery grounds after 10 to 12 month gestation in alternate years.
Behaviour: Blacktips can be found in east coast estuaries and open ocean up as far as the tropics. Preferring to feed on large pelagic bony fish they are very active, fast swimmers, considered a pest by fishermen as they will readily steal fish off the line. Blacktips will also feed on smaller sharks, rays, cuttlefish, lobster and bottom fish. Blacktips seem to respond well to sound and divers may maintain shark interest with repetitive clicking sounds. Often found in larger groups they are easily attracted with fish chum and blood and are often a highlight on baited dives. More on baited shark dives...

OTHER SHARKS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA: Sightings of large pelagic sharks are relatively rare in South Africa, being mostly confined to roaming individuals or recognised areas - either breeding grounds or where food is most abundant - see Protea Banks, Aliwal Shoal and Sodwana Bay . Basking sharks, thresher sharks, cow sharks, white tip reef sharks, soupfin and numerous smaller reef sharks are amongst the many species found in our waters and not as yet included in this text.

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