SHARK VS SHARK

Bull sharkvsTiger shark

See the size difference first, then compare weight, habitat, diet and what the bite-force evidence can actually support.

LivingCarcharhinus leucas×LivingGaleocerdo cuvier
QUICK VERDICT

Tiger shark is about 1.38× longer by these reference values.

Tiger shark uses a 5.5 m upper reference, compared with 4 m for Bull shark. Tiger shark's weight reference is about 2.8× heavier.

01

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS
ABull sharkreported to 4 m / 13 ft
BTiger sharklargest specimens exceed 5.5 m / 18 ft
REFAdult human1.8 m · about 80 kg

Length bars use upper comparison values and do not show body depth, tail proportion or typical adult size. A long thresher tail, for example, does not equal whale-shark body mass.

02

THE NUMBERS

Side by side.

MeasureBull sharkTiger shark
Length referencereported to 4 m / 13 ftlargest specimens exceed 5.5 m / 18 ft
Weight referencereported to 316.5 kg / 698 lbexceptional estimate over 900 kg / 2,000 lb
Bite force170–5,914 N across studied sizes and bite pointsModeledNo dependable maximum foundUnknown
HabitatCoasts, estuaries and freshwaterTropical and warm-temperate seas
DietFish, rays, turtles and other sharksTurtles, fishes, birds, carrion and more
03

WHAT SETS THEM APART

More than a size contest.

Length and weight

Bull shark is represented by reported to 4 m / 13 ft; Tiger shark by largest specimens exceed 5.5 m / 18 ft. The 4 m figure is a reported maximum; typical mature animals are smaller. Both values describe exceptional animals, not an average adult.

Habitat and diet

Bull shark: Coasts, estuaries and freshwater; fish, rays, turtles and other sharks. Tiger shark: Tropical and warm-temperate seas; turtles, fishes, birds, carrion and more.

Bite evidence

Bull shark: The upper value is a theoretical posterior bite for the largest specimen in a 73–285 cm study series—not a universal adult bite. Tiger shark: Popular figures are often repeated without a traceable species-level method.

Records are not averages

Both species are living, but record-sized individuals are rare. These upper references should not be read as normal adult size.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Bull sharkHabegger et al. (2012) + Florida Museum ↗Tiger sharkFlorida Museum ↗How we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →