O Ke Kai – Niuhi Tiger Shark

Niuhi – Tiger Sharks

In ‘olelo Hawaiian, both tiger sharks and great white sharks are niuhi, or ‘man-eating shark’. However both were revered as aumakua (family spirit guide or ancestor) rather than feared as man eaters.

Tiger sharks sport beautiful stripes as younger sharks, but these fade as the shark gets bigger. Easily identifiable by their blunt noses, they are the only extant member of the genus Galeocerdo. Tiger sharks have a well-earned reputation as voracious hunters. Their distinctive serrated teeth and undiscerning palate mean they dine on everything from rays to turtles and even birds. They attain >5m but very large tigers can grow to >8m. Found in tropical and temperate waters. Status: Near Threatened.

So much is still to be learned about whale sharks, like why are most of the whale sharks we see juveniles and males? A whale shark study in Hawaii showed that 88% of the whale sharks we see here were only seen once – so they’re just passing through, but no one knows to where.

As with so many other shark species, the main threat to whale sharks are humans. Harmful fishing practices, massive over fishing, propeller strikes, pollution and other human-related causes have seen whale shark declines that are estimated between 40%-92% – sadly whale sharks have been listed as endangered since 2016. And despite being members of CITES, some countries (notably India and China) continue to violate the treaty. More work needs to be done to show the value of whale sharks and to help fishermen find better sources of income.