This species lives in coastal and pelagic waters, from the surface to about 140m depth. Wide tolerance for different marine habitats, but seems to prefer turbid waters. On or adjacent to the continental and insular shelves. It is often found in river estuaries, close inshore, in coral atolls and lagoons. Tiger sharks are nocturnal and show daily cycles of movement inshore at night into shallow waters, and retreat back to deeper water during daytime.
Tiger sharks are mainly solitary.
They feed on fishes, sharks, turtles, birds, invertebrates, people, and even garbage. Such a wide spectrum has often been interpreted as being an unspecialized feeder. However this could reflect a highly specialized adaptation to their biology. Tiger sharks are one of the largest sharks of all and need a lot of food. Their uniquely shaped teeth are highly evolved and therefore allow them to feed on different food items, preventing potential food shortages that could arise with selective feeding.