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Bull shark

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Insects, Reptiles and
Fish

                   iBull shark

                             Conservation status

   Near Threatened (LR/nt)
            Scientific classification

   Kingdom:  Animalia
   Phylum:   Chordata
   Class:    Chondrichthyes
   Subclass: Elasmobranchii
   Order:    Carcharhiniformes
   Family:   Carcharhinidae
   Genus:    Carcharhinus
   Species:  C. leucas

                                Binomial name

   Carcharhinus leucas
   ( Müller and Henle, 1839)
   Range of bull shark
   Range of bull shark

   The bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, also known as the bull whaler,
   Zambezi River shark or colloquially Zambi, is common worldwide in warm,
   shallow waters along coasts, and well-known for its unpredictable,
   often aggressive behaviour. They have a tolerance for fresh water that
   is unique among marine sharks, and can travel far up rivers, posing a
   threat to those who venture into the water. As a result they are
   probably responsible for the majority of attacks on humans that take
   place near the shore, including many attacks attributed to other
   species. They may be found far from the ocean but are not true
   freshwater sharks (unlike the river sharks of the genus Glyphis).

Taxonomy

   The name, "bull shark", comes from the shark's stocky shape, broad,
   flat snout and aggressive unpredictable behaviour. In India, the bull
   shark is often called the Sunderbans or Ganges shark and is considered
   a delicacy for Bengali fish curries. In Africa it is also commonly
   called the Zambezi River shark or just Zambi. Its wide range and
   diverse habitats result in many other local names, for example
   Nicaragua shark, cub shark, shovelnose shark, freshwater whaler.

Distribution and habitat

   The bull shark is common in the coastal areas of warm oceans, in rivers
   and lakes, and in both salt and fresh water. In the Atlantic it is
   found from Massachusetts to Southern Brazil and from Morocco to Angola.
   In the Indian Ocean it is found from South Africa to Kenya, India,
   Vietnam to Australia. It is estimated that there are more then 500 bull
   sharks in the Brisbane River and greater numbers still in the canals of
   the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. In the Pacific Ocean, it can
   be found from Baja California to Ecuador. The shark is found in the
   central Amazon River, and has been recorded as far up the Mississippi
   River as Illinois. It is also found in the fresh water Lake Nicaragua
   and the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers of West Bengal and Assam in
   eastern India and adjoining Bangladesh. After Hurricane Katrina hit in
   2005, a large number of bull sharks have been sighted in Lake
   Ponchartrain. It is found to a depth of 150 m, but does not usually
   swim deeper than 30 m.

Anatomy and appearance

   Bull sharks are large and stout. The males of this species can reach
   2.1 meters (6.9  feet) and weigh 90  kilograms (198.4 lb). The females
   can be much larger: 3.5 m (11.5 ft) and 230 kg (507 lb). It is wider in
   comparison to its length than most sharks. It is grey on top and white
   below. The second dorsal fin is smaller than the first.

Diet

   The bull shark has a cosmopolitan diet which includes fish, other
   sharks, rays, dolphins, turtles, birds, molluscs, echinoderms,
   crustaceans, and even terrestrial mammals.

Behaviour

   Bull sharks are mostly sluggish, solitary animals who cruise through
   shallow waters. They do not view humans as prey under normal
   conditions, but may bite when threatened, out of curiosity, or in water
   where visibility is poor where a human could be mistaken for a prey
   animal. Despite their apparent docility, they are capable of surprising
   bursts of speed, and can be highly aggressive, even attacking a
   racehorse in the Brisbane River. Bull sharks are widely regarded as one
   of the trinity of species that are the most potentially dangerous to
   humans; the other species are the tiger shark and the great white
   shark.

Reproduction

   Breeding takes place in the summer, often in the brackish water of
   river mouths. After a gestation of about a year, bull sharks give birth
   to as many as 13 live young (they are viviparous). The young are about
   70 cm at birth and take 10 years to reach maturity.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bull_shark"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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