Zebra Shark

The zebra shark is a unique species of shark in the carpet shark order. It is the only shark in the family Stegostomatidae.

Size and Weight
The average size of adult zebra sharks is 8 feet long, alot of their length taken up by their tails. They are rumoured to grow over 10 or 11 feet long.



Description
Zebra sharks are inmistakable with their yellow bodies and black or dark brown spots. As babies, they are almost all black or brown with yellow stripes, and as they grow, much of the brown fades away, leaving their trademark spots. They have the distinct ridges and blunt, rounded noses of most carpet sharks. Their tails are long and usually broad. Sometimes their upper caudal fin (tail) can grow to nearly the same length as the rest of their body. Besides thresher sharks, they have one of the largest tails of any shark in comparison to their body size.

Prey
These sharks prey on many crustaceans, fish, and certain molluscs. They are nocturnal hunters.

Habitat and Range
The zebra shark is found in coral reefs and in other shallow waters. They live in tropical waters in the Indian Ocean and some areas of the Pacific Ocean near the Philippenes and Indonesia for the most part.

Human Interaction:
The zebra shark is docile and has only bitten humans when extremely provoked. They are common in aquariums (such as the Shedd, Mystic, and Pittsburgh aquariums in the United States) because of this calm behavior and their unique appearance. They have responded well to forms of training at the Shedd Aquarium such as recognizing sounds and markers in the water which tell them where and when they will be fed.

Mating:
These sharks are one of a minority of sharks that lay egg sacs or "mermaids purses". They mate on the ocean floor after the male engages in a series of bites on the female's fins.