Experts have stated following the discovery of the Smalltooth Tiger Shark (Odontaspis ferox) in Lepe on Saturday was likely to not have been alone as they tend to travel in aggregations of up to five individuals, prompting investigations to track down any further sightings. The Shark found was approximately 6ft long and 3ft in diameter.
The same Adult Smalltooth Sand Shark was believed to have been seen hours before being found dead and washed up on the Beach, but was this the same one?
As our film crew left in the night after liaising with experts who stated they were not interested in collecting the Shark specimen they passed the two male Trophy hunters who were observed at the Shark. Before they left, they took a photograph of their vehicle.
Smalltooth Sand Tigers are classified as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with very little is known about the biology and behaviour including their diet.
Shark Biologist Martin Taylor told us;
“Shark species unlike Whales don’t do well out of the water for long periods, so ruling out a Pirate fishing vessel dumping the shark overboard in our waters is very highly unlikely to the point of impossible – The Shark would not survive the long journey out of the water with Hypoxia (deficiency of oxygen) setting in after about two hours and given a Shark sighted matching the one discovered previously alive in the sea close by means it must have travelled here by its own means.
“What we do know is that this particular species of Shark is patchily distributed throughout mostly the warm temperate and tropical regions of the world except the eastern Pacific with our waters usually far too cold for their liking. They are often in aggregations of up to five individuals so covering long distances across oceanic waters would be stronger in numbers and a good possibility to have happened rather than a lost individual.
“The travelling in aggregations cannot be ruled out and we must ensure any further sightings are followed up and quickly.”
Martin previously stated; –
“This is an extremely unique discovery in UK waters. Determining how it has got here with a thorough examination and studying the specimen in greater detail which is a very rare demersal shark species with little known about the biology of this shark that I have not seen records of being found in the UK, it could be both a very first sighting and discovery”.
This rare species is often mistaken for the much more common Gray nurse shark (Carcharias taurus) and appear fearsome due to their protruding teeth, however, they eat mostly small to medium fishes, squid and lobster. They are harmless to humans.
It can be distinguished by its first dorsal fin, which is larger than the second and placed further forward. They reach maximum lengths of around 3.67 m and maximum weights of about 289 kg.
The Smalltooth Sand Tiger is morphologically very similar to the Sand Tiger (Carcharias Taurus) but larger and bulkier.
The Smalltooth Sand Tiger shark is rarely encountered, with only 200 records suggesting that naturally, the population is very low in numbers and it is classified as Vulnerable.
