Facts about Sharks *

Sharks that are more likely to attack are: the Great White, Hammerhead, Tiger, bull, Mako, Dusky, Blue,  and Blacktip sharks.

Blue Sharks occur year round off the Carolina Coast.

Bull Sharks are the most aggressive and therefore the most dangerous of sharks. The Bull shark enter rivers, sounds and inlets. They frequent the waters of the Carolina coast from May to October. They pup (reproduce) in North Carolina waters in May or June.

Dusky sharks are common south of Cape Hateras all year round. They enter rivers and estuaries.

Hammerhead sharks are seasonal and appear in the Carolina waters from May to October. There are three varieties:  Smooth and Scalloped Hammerhead and the Great Hammerhead shark,

Great White sharks are the 2nd largest shark next to the Whale Shark. They have been recorded to reach over 6.4 meters long. They swim off the Carolina coast all year round. Great White Sharks habitat cold waters and frequent the edge of the Continental Shelf.

The Whale shark is the biggest shark ever. It is estimated to grow to 12.2 meters long and up. It does not attack humans, it eats plankton.

Mako sharks are of two variety the short fin and Longfin. They are common in the Gulf Stream all year round. The Shortfin Mako shark comes close to shore in July and September. The Longfin Mako shark frequents the waters around Cape Hateras from February through the summer months.

Sand Sharks include the Blacktip shark and occur in waters less than 30 ft deep. These sharks have been known to enter rivers and sounds. They swim off the Carolina Coast all year round.

Tiger Shark attacks on humans have occurred. Tiger sharks are large. They swim in shallow coastal waters and deep ocean waters off the Carolina coast. They have been known to enter the inlets, sounds and large rivers of South Carolina. Tiger sharks use Cape Hatteras and Charleston harbor as nursery areas. They also hang around ship wrecks off the coast of Cape Hatteras.

 

There are 56 known species of Sharks that inhabit the Carolina coastal waters.

1. Atlantic angel shark
2. Atlantic sharpnose shark
3. Arrowhead dogfish
4. Basking shark
5. Bigeye thresher
6. Bignose shark
7. Blacknose shark
8. Blotched cat shark
9. Blunt nose six gill shark
10. Bull shark
11. Black dogfish
12. Blacktip shark
13. Blue shark
14. Bonnethead shark
15. Bramble shark
16. Broadband lantern shark
17. Caribbean lantern shark
18. Caribbean reef shark
19. Chain cat shark
20. Cuban dogfish
21. Deepwater cat shark
22. Dusky shark
23. Dusky smooth hound
24. Finetooth shark
25. Florida smooth hound
26. Galapagos shark
27. Great hammerhead
28. Greenland shark
29. Great white shark
30. Gulper shark
31. Iceland cat shark
32. Kitefin shark
33. Lemon shark
34. Lined lantern shark
35. Longfin mako
36. Night shark
37. Nurse shark
38. Oceanic whitetip shark
39. Piked (spiny) dogfish
40. Porbeagle
41. Roughskin spurdog
42. Roughtail cat shark
43. Sand tiger shark
44. Sandbar shark
45. Scalloped hammerhead
46. Sharp nose seven gill shark
47. Shortfin Mako
48. Shortspine spurdog
49. Silky shark
50. Smalltooth sand tiger
51. Smooth hammerhead
52. Spinner shark
53. Thresher shark
54. Tiger shark
55. Whale shark
56. White saddled cat shark