The bull shark is able to discriminate between colors of mesh netting that is present underwater. One was reportedly seen swimming the flooded streets of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, during the 2010–11 Queensland floods. The name "bull shark" comes from the shark's stocky shape, broad, flat snout, and aggressive, unpredictable behavior. [36] The gills of bull sharks are likely to be involved in the uptake of sodium and chloride from the surrounding fresh water,[37] whereas urea is produced in the liver as required with changes in environmental salinity. While a maximum size of 3.5 m (11 ft) is commonly reported, a single record exists of a female specimen of exactly 4.0 m (13.1 ft). Unauthorized use is prohibited. A GOLD Coast father and son have snagged a 2m bull shark — right from the pontoon in their back yard. Now what? The bull shark has traveled 4,000 km (2,500 mi) up the Amazon River to Iquitos in Peru[23] and north Bolivia. The bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas), also known as the "Zambezi shark" (informally "zambi") in Africa, and "Lake Nicaragua shark" in Nicaragua, is a requiem shark commonly found worldwide in warm, shallow waters along coasts and in rivers. This is also a problem, since this gives them the most interaction with humans. This page was last edited on 5 January 2021, at 11:10. Yellow penguin spotted in Antarctica—here's why it's so rare, A lemur died from tuberculosis—a likely victim of the illegal pet trade, Nearly 5,000 sea turtles rescued from freezing waters on Texas island, Selfie-taking tourists risk giving wild gorillas COVID-19, other diseases, Monkeys still forced to pick coconuts in Thailand despite controversy, A black-footed ferret has been cloned, a first for a U.S. endangered species. A bull shark and a huge saltwater crocodile have come face to face in awe-inspiring drone footage The two animals travelled directly passed each other, without slowing, stopping or … Among the most likely sharks to attack humans, bull sharks favor shallow coastal waters—the same places humans prefer to swim. [31], The bull shark is the best known of 43 species of elasmobranch in 10 genera and four families to have been reported in fresh water. The bull shark is commonly found worldwide in coastal areas of warm oceans, in rivers and lakes, and occasionally salt and freshwater streams if they are deep enough. [33] These fish also are euryhaline fish, able to adapt to a wide range of salinities. Bright yellow mesh netting was found to be easily avoided when it was placed in the path of the bull shark. NASA’s Perseverance rover has just landed on Mars, Watch as NASA attempts a daring Mars rover landing, Million-year-old mammoth teeth yield world's oldest DNA, Why mapping Mars completely changed how we see it, How these feuding map-makers shaped our fascination with Mars, Earth’s mountains may have mysteriously stopped growing for a billion years. They have been known to travel up the Mississippi River as far as Alton, Illinois,[3] about 700 miles (1100 km) from the ocean. Promoted stories Saltwater crocodiles have been observed preying on bull sharks in the rivers and estuaries of Northern Australia,[57] and a Nile crocodile was reported as consuming a bull shark in South Africa.[58]. This may reduce the added cost of greater negative buoyancy. ... More related stories. The bull shark can be up to 81 cm (2.66 ft) in length at birth. Oldest dog remains in Americas discovered in Alaska, Text messages capture heartbreaking goodbyes of COVID-19 victims, How do we know what ancient Greek warriors wore for battle? [19] Along with the tiger shark and great white shark, bull sharks are among the three shark species most likely to bite humans.[5]. The bull shark's caudal fin is longer and lower than that of the larger sharks, and it has a small snout, and lacks an interdorsal ridge. Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. was born on August 17, 1943, in New York City. More than 130 years after its discovery, this moth was finally photographed alive, The world’s biggest owl is endangered—but it’s not too late to save it, Lasers, cannons, effigies: The surprising science of shooing vultures away. Can things change? [4] Crocodiles may be a threat to bull sharks in rivers as well. Bull sharks can thrive in both salt and fresh water and can travel far up rivers. [41], The bull shark's diet consists mainly of bony fish and small sharks, including other bull sharks,[4] and stingrays. Still greater numbers are in the canals of the Gold Coast, Queensland. It was found that bull sharks tended to avoid mesh netting of bright colors rather than colors that blended in with the water.