page_title: Bull shark
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Bull shark / Description
context_page_description: The Bull shark, or Zambezi shark, is a species of shark of the genus Carcharhinus.
  The shark grows to a maximum length of 11.5 feet, but is usually 7.3-7.8 feet long. It is found in tropical and subtropical coastal waters worldwide, as well as river systems and freshwater lakes.
  This species is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN, and is considered to be the third most dangerous sharks in the world.
context_section_description: Bull sharks have a very sturdy body, and have a blunt, rounded snout, giving the Bull shark its name. The first dorsal fin is large and widely triangular with a pointed tip. The second dorsal fin is noticeably smaller. The pectoral fins are also large, and have sharp tips. Bull sharks have quite small eyes as compared to other carcharhinid sharks, which might mean that vision is not a very important hunting tool for this species which is usually found in muddy waters. Bull sharks are usually pale to dark grey above, and their undersides are white. In young Bull sharks, the fins have black tips which turn to a dusky colour as they grow.
  The teeth of the upper jaw are wide, triangular, and heavily jagged. The teeth of the lower jaw have a wide base, and are narrow, triangular, and are finely jagged. The front teeth are raised and are nearly symmetrical, while the back teeth are more slanted in shape.
  The maximum weight is over 500 pounds (230 kg). The size at birth is around 29 inches (75 cm). Females are larger than males, reaching a length of around 7.8 feet (2.4 metres) as adults, and weighing around 285 pounds (130 kg). This is the result of a longer lifespan of about 16 years, compared to 12 years for males. Males reach a length of around 7.3 feet (2.2 metres), and weigh 209 pounds (95 kg). The growth rates calculated from captive Bull sharks were estimated to be about 11 inches (28 cm) per year in the first years of life, slowing to half that rate after about 4 years of age.
caption: A drawing of a Bull shark
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