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Bull Shark

Carcharhinus leucas

Fish · family Carcharhinidae · order Carcharhiniformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
6 states[3]
Longest recorded life
32 years[4]

The Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) is a fish in the requiem shark family, Carcharhinidae[5]. NatureServe lists it as native along the coasts of 6 US states and territories, from Texas to Delaware, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[3][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe ranks the Bull Shark G5 (Secure) worldwide and N5 (Secure) in the United States[2][6]. The IUCN Red List, as recorded by NatureServe, puts it in the Vulnerable category, a warning that it faces a real risk of decline[7]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Vulnerable

Where Bull Shark lives

NatureServe lists the Bull Shark as native in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas[3]. People report it most often in Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana and Alabama, which reflects where observers look rather than how many sharks live there[8].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: native, state rank SNRDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S4SCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: native, state rank S5LAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: native, state rank S4ALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S3TXFlorida: native, state rank S5FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[9].
Show state ranks (6 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS4Apparently Secure
DelawareSNRNot Ranked
FloridaS5Secure
LouisianaS5Secure
South CarolinaS4Apparently Secure
TexasS3Vulnerable

Habitat

NatureServe records the Bull Shark in bays and sounds, river mouths and tidal rivers, and waters near the shore[10]. It tends to stay in shallow coastal water where the water is less salty than the open sea[11]. At times it swims up into rivers, and NatureServe notes it is the only North American shark known to do this[11].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[10]

Size, diet and lifespan

The Bull Shark is a meat eater that feeds on fish and on animals without backbones[12]. It takes whatever food it finds, including fish, porpoises, sea turtles, shellfish, crabs and shrimp, and even garbage[13]. NatureServe gives a typical length of 305 cm (120 in)[14]. Females give birth to litters of 5 to 10 young[15]. The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 32 years[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[14] 305 cm (120 in)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 32 years (wild)
Litter or clutch size[16] 9.8
Female maturity[17] 6,570 days (about 18.0 years)
Food habits[12] Carnivore, Piscivore, Invertivore

When to look for it

NatureServe notes that the Bull Shark population in the Gulf moves from place to place with the seasons[18]. Young are born from April to June along the central Gulf coast of Florida[15]. US observation records on GBIF peak in May, June and September, which shows when people report sightings, not when sharks are most numerous[19].

January: 100 recordsJanFebruary: 68 recordsFebMarch: 154 recordsMarApril: 448 recordsAprMay: 699 recordsMayJune: 449 recordsJunJuly: 189 recordsJulAugust: 161 recordsAugSeptember: 527 recordsSepOctober: 449 recordsOctNovember: 150 recordsNovDecember: 79 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[19].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January100
February68
March154
April448
May699
June449
July189
August161
September527
October449
November150
December79

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Bull Shark as present in 6 park units[20]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama[8]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Bull Shark endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it Secure worldwide[2], while the IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Vulnerable[7].
Where do Bull Sharks live in the US?
NatureServe lists them as native in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas[3]. They use bays, river mouths and near shore waters[10].
What does a Bull Shark eat?
It eats whatever it can find, such as fish, porpoises, sea turtles, shellfish, crabs and even garbage[13].
How big does a Bull Shark get?
NatureServe gives a typical length of 305 cm (120 in)[14].
How long does a Bull Shark live?
The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 32 years[4].

Facts and sources

  1. Bull Shark is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Bull Shark: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Bull Shark as native in 6 US states and territories: Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 32 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) is a fish in the family Carcharhinidae, order Carcharhiniformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Vulnerable. NatureServe Explorer
  8. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Bull Shark: Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  9. NatureServe state ranks for Bull Shark (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  10. Habitat types NatureServe records for Bull Shark: Bay/sound, River mouth/tidal river, Near shore. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe notes on habitat for Bull Shark. NatureServe Explorer
  12. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Carnivore, Piscivore, Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on food for Bull Shark. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 305 cm (120 in). NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Bull Shark. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 9.8. AnAge
  17. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 6,570 days (about 18.0 years). AnAge
  18. NatureServe notes on migration for Bull Shark. NatureServe Explorer
  19. GBIF observation records of Bull Shark in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  20. NPSpecies park lists recording Bull Shark as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.