Bronze Whaler
Common Names: Bronze Whaler, Copper Shark, Narrowtooth Shark.
Scientific Name: Carcharhinus brachyurus
Size: Up to 3.3m
Found in: Temperate and sub tropical waters, both inshore and deep water in the Pacific, Atlantic, South African and equatorial regions.
Population Status: Near Threatened (IUCN, 2012)
Tooth Shape:
Teeth are a hooked triangular shape with serrated edges. Bronze Whalers feed on both pelagic and benthic bony fishes. Their diet also includes cephalopods and sometimes smaller sharks and rays. They often hunt together in groups.
Reproduction:
Viviparous - young are nourished by a yolk sac, which turns into a placenta once depleted. Young are born live and measure around 60cm. Litters ranging in size from 7 - 24 pups have been recorded.
Gestation is thought to be around 12 months, but may be longer, this has not yet been confirmed. Females are thought to breed every second year. Bronze Whalers have a slow reproductive rate and take 13-20 years to reach sexual maturity.
Interesting Facts:
Bronze Whalers are a very slow growing species. Males not reaching maturity until 13–19 yrs and females, 19–20 years.
These sharks are quite tolerant of low salinity and can sometimes be found in estuaries and brackish waters.
Bronze Whalers are often confused with other similar looking species such as Dusky Whalers and Bull Whalers. They can be distinguished by their slim streamlined shape, lack of an inter-dorsal ridge and by tooth shape.
This species is vulnerable to population decline resulting from commercial fishing due to its slow growth and reproductive rates.
Teeth are a hooked triangular shape with serrated edges. Bronze Whalers feed on both pelagic and benthic bony fishes. Their diet also includes cephalopods and sometimes smaller sharks and rays. They often hunt together in groups.
Reproduction:
Viviparous - young are nourished by a yolk sac, which turns into a placenta once depleted. Young are born live and measure around 60cm. Litters ranging in size from 7 - 24 pups have been recorded.
Gestation is thought to be around 12 months, but may be longer, this has not yet been confirmed. Females are thought to breed every second year. Bronze Whalers have a slow reproductive rate and take 13-20 years to reach sexual maturity.
Interesting Facts:
Bronze Whalers are a very slow growing species. Males not reaching maturity until 13–19 yrs and females, 19–20 years.
These sharks are quite tolerant of low salinity and can sometimes be found in estuaries and brackish waters.
Bronze Whalers are often confused with other similar looking species such as Dusky Whalers and Bull Whalers. They can be distinguished by their slim streamlined shape, lack of an inter-dorsal ridge and by tooth shape.
This species is vulnerable to population decline resulting from commercial fishing due to its slow growth and reproductive rates.
