The Shark with Tiger Stripes and Super Senses! | Tiger Shark

[00:00:00]Hi everyone. Welcome to Smart Saplings.

[00:00:03]Come join [music] us for today's amazing animal adventure.

[00:00:09]A shark with tiger stripes? Meet the tiger shark, a giant ocean explorer with a curious powerful body. Young tiger sharks wear dark bars and spots.

[00:00:21]As they grow older, those tiger-like markings usually become much fainter.

[00:00:26]Most tiger sharks grow 10 to 14 ft long, while the biggest can stretch beyond 18 ft.

[00:00:33]They explore warm coastal bays, coral islands, river mouths, and even open ocean waters far from land.

[00:00:42]Tiger sharks live across warm oceans and may travel north or south as water temperatures change with the seasons.

[00:00:50]Their dark backs blend with deep water, while pale bellies match sunlight above, helping them hide from two directions.

[00:00:59]Tiger sharks are busiest at night, and shark [music] eyes work especially well when the underwater world becomes dim.

[00:01:06]Tiny pores around the snout sense weak electrical signals made by muscles, helping the shark find hidden animals.

[00:01:14]A pressure-sensing line along its body feels nearby water movement, even when murky water makes seeing difficult.

[00:01:22]Tiger sharks eat many foods, including fish, rays, squid, sea birds, smaller sharks, sea turtles, and more. Each curved tooth has sharp saw-like edges and a deep notch, perfect for cutting tough food into pieces.

[00:01:40]Tiger sharks usually hunt alone, quietly patrolling for following fish or other food through the water. Tiger sharks sometimes swallow human rubbish by mistake. Plastic and cans are not food, so clean seas really matter.

[00:01:56]Mothers give birth to live pups after a long pregnancy, and one litter may contain 10 to 82 babies.

[00:02:03]Baby tiger sharks begin life around 2 ft long with bold markings, often using shallow coastal waters as nurseries.

[00:02:13]A tiger shark can live for more than 30 years, growing from a strongly striped pup into a huge adult.

[00:02:20]As top predators, tiger sharks help shape ocean food webs and support the balance of marine ecosystems. Tiger sharks are near threatened. Fishing and accidental capture can reduce their numbers, so careful protection is important. Stripes, huge size, super senses, special teeth, live born pups, and long journeys, tiger sharks have amazing ocean adaptations.

[00:02:48]What gives it its name? What helps it find hidden food? Great remembering. Now it's time for our special goodbye.

[00:02:57]Thanks for watching, friends. Which amazing animal should we explore next?

[00:03:00]Tell us in the comments, [music] and we'll see you on another Smart Saplings adventure.