Keven Avila Period 2

Location  The bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas), is a requiem shark commonly found worldwide in warm, shallow waters along coasts and in rivers.  Bull sharks can thrive in both saltwater and freshwater and can travel far up rivers.  They have even been known to travel as far up as the Mississippi River in Illinois

Location Pt. 2  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, and Vietnam to Australia.  One was reportedly seen swimming the flooded streets of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, during the Queensland floods of late 2010/early 2011.

Appearance  Bull sharks are large and stout, with females being larger than males.  The bull shark can be up to 2.66 ft in length at birth.  Adult female bull sharks average 7.9 ft long and typically weigh 290 lb  Adult male averages 7.4 ft and 209 lb.

Diet  The bull shark's diet consists mainly of bony fish and small sharks, including other bull sharks  They also include turtles, birds, dolphins, terrestrial mammals, crustaceans, echinoderms, and stingrays.

Hunting Technique  Bull sharks have been known to use the bump-and-bite technique to attack their prey.  After the first initial contact the bull shark continues to bite and tackle its prey until they are unable to flee.  Repeated bites are not uncommon, depending on the reaction of the victim.

Reproduction  Bull sharks mate during late summer and early autumn, often in the brackish water of river mouths.  After gestating for 12 months, a bull shark may give birth to four to ten live young.  They are viviparous; they are born live and free-swimming.

Interactions  Since bull sharks often dwell in very shallow waters, are found in many types of habitats, and have virtually no tolerance for provocation.  They may be more dangerous to humans than any other species of shark.  Along with the tiger shark and great white shark, are among the three shark species most likely to bite humans.

Reasons for Attacks  Large sharks species are apex predators in their environment, and thus have little fear of any creature (other than orcas) with which they cross paths.  Like most sophisticated hunters, they are curious when they encounter something unusual in their territories.

Reasons for Attacks Pt. 2  Lacking any limbs with sensitive digits such as hands or feet, the only way they can explore an object or organism is to bite it; these bites are known as exploratory bites.

Current Event  By Elizabeth Palermo  June 15, :29pm ET  Coast of Oak Island, North Carolina  A beautiful day at the beach went south for two young kids on Sunday when each was attacked by a shark while in waist-deep water off the coast of Oak Island, North Carolina. Experts in marine science say the closeness of the two attacks was very unusual. Both the 12 year old girl and 16 year old boy survived their attacks, which occurred 2 miles apart and within 90 minutes of one another. The young kids who were attacked weren't just bitten and then released. Each victim lost an arm to what is believed was a single bull shark.

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Bibliography   /fish/bull-shark/ /fish/bull-shark/  s-profiles/carcharhinus-leucas s-profiles/carcharhinus-leucas   attacks-north-carolina.html attacks-north-carolina.html