what kind of sharks are in the gulf shores

Just so, what kind of sharks live in Gulf Shores? Sharks

that live in the Gulf of Mexico include the bull, thresher, nurse, hammerhead, oceanic white tip, blacktip, sandbar, shortfin mako, blacknose, and finetooth. Several species of ray also make their homes in the Gulf.

Full Answer

Are there Sharks in the Gulf of Mexico?

While this incident was undoubtedly scary for spring breakers, it’s important to lay out a few facts about sharks in our area. – Yes, shark sitings like last week’s are common, as many shark species make their home in the Gulf of Mexico.

When is shark season in Gulf Shores?

– Once the water temperature hits over 72 degrees or so is when sharks steer closer to the shore. That puts prime shark season in Gulf Shores between April and November. – The city’s beaches are monitored by, among others, pilots who frequently fly over beaches.

How big do Coastal Sharks get in Alabama?

This is Alabama"s most common large coastal shark. The maximum reported length of the blacktip shark is 8.4 feet although the average size is five feet. (Photo/Eric Hoffmayer)

What kind of sharks live in river water?

Bull Sharks love hunting in river water so much they have been noted to migrate all the way from the Gulf of Mexico up to Illinois. Finetooth Sharks: The Finetooth Shark loves to inhabit the shallow waters along the coasts rarely going into depths more than 66 ft (20 m).

Are there sharks in Gulf Shores Alabama?

In the video, you see the shark come very close to shore – and hear some shrieks of both delight and fear. It's difficult to tell what kind of shark it is, but Outdoor Alabama says these are the most common off the coast of the state: Atlantic Sharpnose Shark. Blacktip Shark.

Has there been any shark attacks in Gulf Shores Alabama?

A teen is ready to go back to the ocean after being bitten by a shark in Gulf Shores, Alabama, while two people were bitten by sharks in Palm Beach County, and in New Jersey, a young girl was also bitten by a shark. In Florida, a 50-year-old man was fishing March 31 at Lake Worth Beach when he was bitten on the knee.

What is the most common shark in the Gulf of Mexico?

The Atlantic sharpnose shark is the most common inshore species in many areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is small, growing to only about 4 feet in length. These sharks, along with 5 or 6 other species, are often called “sand sharks”.

Are there tiger sharks in Gulf Shores Alabama?

OCEARCH has recently pinged 2 great white sharks and 1 tiger shark just south of Gulf Shores. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Three large sharks are being tracked this week off the coast of Alabama. Two of them are great white sharks and one is a tiger shark.

Does Gulf Shores Alabama have alligators?

GULF SHORES, Ala. (WPMI) — Gulf Shores residents are on high alert as a nearly 10-foot-long alligator has moved into their neighborhood pond, just feet from homes.

Are there bull sharks in Alabama?

Unlike other sharks, adult bull sharks readily enter freshwater systems. Very common in Alabama, bulls regularly hunt in the tidal rivers of the lower Mobile-Tensaw Delta. They sometimes appear well up the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers. Bull sharks account for most attacks in Alabama waters.

How can you tell if a shark is near?

0:391:28How to know if you're swimming near a shark - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipDo you see birds diving into the waters or a small fish jumping out that could be a sign that aMoreDo you see birds diving into the waters or a small fish jumping out that could be a sign that a predator is after a small fish in the area.

Are there great white sharks in Gulf of Mexico?

Currently, there are three tagged sharks in the Gulf of Mexico, with a fourth swimming near the Florida Keys. All are Great Whites. The largest and closest is Scot, a 12-foot Great White who most recently pinged about 100 miles off the Naples coast.

Do bull sharks live in the Gulf of Mexico?

Bull sharks are found in coastal waters all over the world. In the United States they are found off the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. Unlike most sharks, bull sharks can survive in freshwater for long periods of time. They have even been found in the Mississippi and Amazon Rivers.

Are there great whites in Alabama?

FORT MORGAN, Ala. (WBMA) — Two sharks being tracked by OCEARCH have been reported off Alabama's Gulf coast. Cabot, a young adult great white, nearly 10 feet in length, weighing over 500 pounds, was first tagged off the coast of Nova Scotia in 2018.

Have there been any shark attacks in the Gulf of Mexico?

There have been 36 unprovoked attacks on humans, but none were fatal. In general, they are not interested in humans at all and won't attack when around them.

What ocean is Gulf Shores AL?

the Gulf of MexicoGulf Shores is located on the Gulf of Mexico at 30°16'4.069" North, 87°42'5.285" West (30.267797, −87.701468). It is the southernmost settlement in the state of Alabama.

How many species of fish are there in the Gulf of Mexico?

The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world and is home to a huge variety of marine life. This marine life includes more than 1,443 finfish species, 51 shark species, and 42 ray/skate species as well as many, many others.

What is the name of the shark that is a mackerel?

Shortfin Mako Shark. Also known as the blue pointer or bonito shark, is a large mackerel shark. It is commonly referred to as the mako shark, as is the longfin mako shark. The shortfin mako can reach a size of 4 m (13 ft) in length. The species is classified as Endangered by the IUCN.

What do short fin mako sharks eat?

The shortfin mako shark feeds mainly upon cephalopods and bony fish including mackerels, tunas, bonitos, and swordfish, but it may also eat other sharks, porpoises, sea turtles, and seabirds.

How many shark attacks will there be in 2020?

Shark Attacks in 2020. Shark attacks world-wide decreased in 2020 falling to 57 unprovoked bites, down from 64 in the previous year. Of those bites that proved fatal, six occurred in Australia, three in the US and one in the Caribbean. The US led the world in the number of shark bites at 33, down from 41 in 2019.

How fast can a great white shark go?

They can reach up to 35 miles per hour and not forgetting the teeth, they have about 300 in up to seven rows. Although Jaws made a lot of people think great white sharks are everywhere, in fact they are quite uncommon in our local waters as the water is generally too warm.

How big are loggerhead turtles in Panama City Beach?

These are really big turtles once they are full grown. They can weigh up to 250 to 300 pounds and measure up to 3 feet in length! Then everything changed in 2012.

How big is a shark?

Their average size is 14-18ft and average weight 1,500 - 4,000 lbs. They are not the largest shark but they are the largest predatory shark. In fact they are the top predator in the ocean and only have one threat to their survival and that is us. They are build for speed.

Where do fine tooth sharks live?

Finetooth Sharks: The Finetooth Shark loves to inhabit the shallow waters along the coasts rarely going into depths more than 66 ft (20 m). They breed in river estuaries and primarily eat Gulf Menhaden fish, so they thrive in the Gulf of Mexico. They are very fast swimmers and tend to hunt in large packs.

What is the most docile shark in the world?

Nurse Sharks are the most docile sharks of the ocean and are known to spend their days lounging at the bottom of the ocean. Their docile nature makes them a huge tourist attraction for the Gulf of Mexico. Divers and snorkelers love to swim with Nurse Sharks in this area.

How big is a hammerhead shark?

It gets its name from its distinctive black markings on the tip of its nose. It is a smaller shark that grows to a maximum 4.3 ft (1.3 m). Bonnethead Hammerhead Sharks: The Bonnethead Hammerhead Shark, also known as the Shovelhead Hammerhead, stays along the warm, tropical coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Where do blacknose sharks live?

Blacknose Sharks: The Blacknose Shark is a type of Requiem Shark found in continental shelves along the coastlines of the Gulf of Mexico. The Blacknose Shark specifically loves to hunt in the seagrass beds around the western edge of Florida. It gets its name from its distinctive black markings on the tip of its nose.

How fast can a shark swim?

They are the fastest swimming sharks on the planet, clocking in at speeds up to 60 mph (96 kph). They hunt the swordfish found in the Gulf of Mexico but will eat nearly anything. They are highly migratory, swimming an average of 36 miles a day. So the large body of the Gulf of Mexico is the perfect habitat for them.

Where do thresher sharks live?

Common Thresher Sharks: Common Thresher Sharks live in the deep open ocean of the Gulf of Mexico. They are vertical migrants moving up and down the water column for warmer waters. The Common Thresher Shark is truly unique as it has an extremely long caudal fin that measuring nearly half its length.

Where are whitetip sharks found?

Oceanic Whitetip Sharks: The Oceanic Whitetip Shark is a migratory shark that is found in the tropical and subtropical waters all over the planet. The Oceanic Whitetip Shark is considered “the most dangerous shark in the world” by famed marine biologist Jacques Cousteau because of its ferocious group hunting style.

Where do sandbar sharks live?

Sandbar Sharks are very common in the Gulf of Mexico and coastal Atlantic. They range in length fro 4-7 feet and adults average 100-200 pounds. This shark has a larger than average dorsal fin. Sandbar sharks are mostly bottom feeders and feed on octopus, squid, crabs and shrimp.

How big is a tiger shark?

Tiger sharks have a short, blount snout and a large head. Average size of a tiger shark is 13-21 feet but can grow much larger. They are not picky eaters. They feed on fishes, sharks, turtles, birds, invertebrates, people, and even garbage. Their teeth are highly evolved and allow them to eat a wide variety of food items. They range from the surface to almost 500 ft. depths. (Photo/Eric Hoffmayer)

How big is a fine tooth shark?

The finetooth shark is relatively small with an average length of 4-6 feet. This shark has very small, fine, clear teeth and feeds on small fish. They are known to form large schools. Finetooth sharks are dark bluish grey above and white below with an inconspicuous white band on the flank.

How do lemon sharks get their name?

The lemon shark gets its name from its brownish yellow color. They frequent subtropical shallow water to depths of 300 feet and inhabits coral reefs, mangroves, enclosed bays, sounds and river mouths. Lemon sharks are one of the larger species of sharks reaching average lengths of 8-10 feet. These sharks eat a wide variety of fish, rays shrimp and crabs. They also have been know o eat birds and other sharks. (Photo/Eric Hoffmayer)

What do silky sharks eat?

Silky sharks range in length from 5-10 feet and eat a variety of fish including tuna, mackerel and mullet.

How deep can a bull shark be?

deep and occasionally less than a meter deep, but ranging down to 450 ft. Bull sharks are one of the three most dangerous species, beside the white shark and tiger shark. Favored food includes bony fishes, rays and other sharks, sometimes even other bull sharks but will feed on sea turtles, birds, and dolphins. (Photo/Eric Hoffmayer)

How big do Bonnethead sharks get?

Bonnethead sharks grow to an average length of 3-4 feet but can grow to six feet . Their eyes are at the tips of their flat, shovel shaped head. Bonnetheads feed during daylight hours primarily on crustaceans, dominated by blue crabs and shrimp. They will swim in small school and frequent reefs and inshore bays.