Zebra Shark Information

Some zebras don't have stripes. In its juvenile stage, a zebra shark features yellowish stripes on dark-colored bodies, but when mature, the color lightens to a yellow, gray or brown shade, and the stripes become small, dark spots. This is why adults can be confused with the leopard shark. But the zebra shark has two unmistakable features: a tail which is nearly as long as its body, and a prominent ridge that runs the length of that body.

  1. Size and Lifespan

    • The zebra shark is considered a medium-sized shark. Some are as small as two feet long, but the long, flat body of the zebra shark can grow to a length of approximately eight feet. A zebra shark generally weighs between 35 and 45 pounds. This species may live as long as 30 years in the wild, though the average lifespan of a zebra shark in captivity is half that. On average, the zebra shark lives about 20 years.

    Location

    • Zebra sharks are a saltwater species, and they usually prefer tropical reefs and warm, coastal waters. The Indian Ocean, as well as the southern and western parts of the Pacific Ocean are the most common places to find a zebra shark in the wild. Swimmers and divers who frequent the coastal waters of Japan and Australia, for example, may encounter these distinctive sharks.

    Diet

    • Zebra sharks are omnivores, meaning that they will eat both meat and plants. However, their diets are typically more meat-based and can include fish and seafood such as snails, shrimp and crabs. Zebra sharks might also feed on squid and sea snakes. Their eel-like bodies make it easy for zebra sharks to swim into small crevices in the coral reefs in search of tasty morsels. Zebra sharks hunt at night, resting on the ocean floor during the day.

    Reproduction

    • Zebra sharks reproduce by laying eggs. The male sharks transfer sperm with the help of tube-like appendages on their pelvic fins, called "claspers." After the sperm is transferred, the females lay about 10 fertilized eggs, which are covered with filaments that attach to the ocean floor. The eggs hatch after a five-month incubation period into hatchlings that can measure about 18 to 20 inches in length.

    Predators

    • Though zebra sharks have very few predators, humans are the biggest threat to the species. The species is fished for its meat, which is added to fish meal and is also sold both fresh and salt-dried. The fins and livers are valued as well. In addition to humans, larger sharks such as bull sharks and tiger sharks are also considered predators of the zebra shark, which they see as a food source. However, it is human consumption of the zebra shark which has led to its designation as a threatened species.