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Tiger Shark

Galeocerdo cuvier

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 G4: apparently secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Tiger Shark
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G4 Apparently Secure[2]
Native in
5 states[3]
Longest recorded life
50 years[4]

The tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) is a fish in the requiem shark family, Carcharhinidae[5]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[1], and NatureServe lists it as native in Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas[3].

Conservation status

NatureServe ranks the tiger shark G4, which means Apparently Secure across its whole world range[2]. The IUCN Red List, as recorded by NatureServe, places it in the Near threatened category[6]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe estimates the global adult population at more than 1,000,000 individuals[7].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G4 (Apparently Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[6] Near threatened
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[7] >1,000,000 individuals

Where Tiger Shark lives

NatureServe lists the tiger shark as native in 5 US states: Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas[3]. Each of these states has its own NatureServe rank, shown in the table on this page, and Delaware has not been ranked yet[8]. People have also reported it on GBIF in North Carolina, Hawaii and Georgia, along with Florida and South Carolina[9]. These reports show where people look, not how many sharks live there[9].

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 S3LAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S4TXFlorida: native, state rank S4FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[8].
Show state ranks (5 states)
StateRankMeaning
DelawareSNRNot Ranked
FloridaS4Apparently Secure
LouisianaS3Vulnerable
South CarolinaS4Apparently Secure
TexasS4Apparently Secure

Habitat

NatureServe records two habitat types for the tiger shark: bays or sounds, and near shore waters[10]. In other words, it is linked to coastal salt water rather than inland waters[10].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[10]

Lifespan

Female tiger sharks reach maturity at about 2,555 days[11]. AnAge also records a typical litter size for the species, so females give birth to many young at once[12]. The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 50 years, which is a record and not a typical age[4].

Trait Value
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 50 years (wild)
Litter or clutch size[12] 31.5
Female maturity[11] 2,555 days (about 7.0 years)

When to look for it

Most US observation records on GBIF fall in June, July and August[13]. Records are fewer in the fall and winter months[13]. These counts show when people look and report, not how many sharks are around[13].

January: 65 recordsJanFebruary: 39 recordsFebMarch: 65 recordsMarApril: 51 recordsAprMay: 54 recordsMayJune: 85 recordsJunJuly: 221 recordsJulAugust: 118 recordsAugSeptember: 33 recordsSepOctober: 31 recordsOctNovember: 32 recordsNovDecember: 23 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[13].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January65
February39
March65
April51
May54
June85
July221
August118
September33
October31
November32
December23

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Tiger Shark as present in 4 park units[14]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Florida, North Carolina, Hawaii, Georgia, South Carolina[9]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the tiger shark endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G4, Apparently Secure[2], and the IUCN category recorded by NatureServe is Near threatened[6].
Where do tiger sharks live in the US?
NatureServe lists them as native in Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas[3]. They use bays, sounds and near shore waters[10].
How long do tiger sharks live?
The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 50 years[4]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan[4].
When are tiger sharks seen most in the US?
Most GBIF records come from June, July and August[13]. This reflects when people report sightings, not how many sharks there are[13].

Facts and sources

  1. Tiger 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 Tiger Shark: G4 (Apparently Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Tiger Shark as native in 5 US states and territories: Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 50 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) is a fish in the family Carcharhinidae, order Carcharhiniformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Near threatened. NatureServe Explorer
  7. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe state ranks for Tiger Shark (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  9. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Tiger Shark: Florida, North Carolina, Hawaii, Georgia, South Carolina. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  10. Habitat types NatureServe records for Tiger Shark: Bay/sound, Near shore. NatureServe Explorer
  11. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 2,555 days (about 7.0 years). AnAge
  12. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 31.5. AnAge
  13. GBIF observation records of Tiger Shark in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  14. NPSpecies park lists recording Tiger 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.

Photo: Unknown author, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.