Bull Sharks

In South Africa Bull sharks are known as Zambezi sharks. This is due to the fact that they can swim huge distances up freshwater rivers and the most well known case of this is in the Zambezi River in Southern Africa. Bull sharks can grow to over 3,0m in length and are very powerful sharks with large serrated teeth and a very muscular shark jaw. Bull shark upper teeth actually look fairly similar to white shark teeth and have the same cutting action.

Bull sharks typically feed on a variety of bony fish species and smaller sharks.

The bull shark is notorious in South Africa as being responsible for many shark attacks particularly along the warm Natal coast. Shark attack victims commonly were taken in very shallow water just off near shore channels which these sharks use to come close in shore to hunt various fish species.

This water is often turbid and shark bites on a swimmers leg can be easily be the result of the leg being mistaken for a fish or other natural prey item.

Shark Fishing is responsible for killing many bull sharks in South African waters. Bull sharks are rapidly becoming a much sought after species to dive with and urgent shark conservation is needed to help bull shark populations recover. We have dived with up to 10 bull sharks in a baited situation and once again never felt in the tiniest bit threatened.

Bull sharks can live for well over 30 years and take many years to become sexually mature. In South Africa two of the best areas to see live bull sharks are at Protea Banks and Aliwal shoal and the best bull shark and tiger shark pictures come from this area.