One of the ocean's great apex predators, named for the dark vertical bars on juveniles that fade with age. It has the broadest diet of any shark — and an infamous reputation as the sea's "garbage can". Large, curious and powerful, it commands respect on any Maldivian dive.
- Size
- ~4.5–5.5 m
- Weight
- Commonly ~300–900 kg; exceptional females over 1,500 kg.
- Diet
- Almost anything — turtles, sea snakes, rays, fish, seabirds, dolphins, smaller sharks, carrion.
- Lifespan
- ~27–37 years.
- Depth
- Surface to ~150 m typically; recorded beyond 1,000 m.
- Reproduction
- Ovoviviparous (unique among requiem sharks); large litters (~10–80 pups), gestation ~13–16 months.
- Snorkel or dive
- Dive only
- Best season
- Year-round at Fuvahmulah
- Conservation
- Near Threatened
How to recognise it
Blunt squarish snout; dark vertical tiger bars (fade with age); very broad body.
Behaviour in the wild
Large apex predator with a varied diet; bold and inquisitive but predictable at established sites.
Where to see it in the Maldives
Fuvahmulah (deep south) — the world's most reliable, near-daily tiger shark dive.
Visual field notes
See tiger shark from more than one angle.
3 human-reviewed photographs chosen for identity, habitat and behaviour.
01 · Field portrait · Species reference
PhotoKris Mikael KristerCC BY 3.0web-adapted
02 · Identification · Species reference
PhotoAlbert kokCC BY-SA 3.0web-adapted
03 · Habitat · Species reference
Photoalbert kokCC BY-SA 4.0web-adapted
Recorded locations
Build a trip from real sighting records.
Atolls
Dive and snorkel sites
Conservation context
Near Threatened — targeted and bycatch fisheries, finning, shark-control programmes.
IUCN · Near Threatened
Watch responsibly
Stay vertical and aware, keep a respectful distance, never feed or provoke; defer to experienced guides.
Field notes
Famed as the ocean's garbage can — known to swallow indigestible objects.
Its serrated, can-opener teeth can shear through a sea turtle's shell.
Collective noun · a shiver of sharks
Profile references
References are shown transparently; profile copy may also include editorial synthesis. Seasons and sightings vary with wild conditions.
