Map by Georgia Rudder

Whale sharks

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 00:13:28 UTC

Whale sharks inhabit warm, tropical and temperate waters around the globe, preferring surface temperatures between 21-25°C. They travel long distances in search of food, and are often found in coastal waters and coral reef lagoons. While they gather seasonally at locations like Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, they are found in various other tropical regions worldwide.

Bull sharks

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 00:19:46 UTC

Bull sharks are known for their ability to thrive in both saltwater and freshwater environments, making them unique among sharks. They are commonly found in warm, tropical coastal waters worldwide, but also inhabit rivers, estuaries, and even lakes. Their presence in freshwater is notable, as they can travel hundreds or even thousands of miles inland in rivers like the Amazon and Mississippi.

Leopard sharks

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 00:54:26 UTC

Leopard sharks primarily inhabit the eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from Oregon to the Gulf of California.They are commonly found in shallow coastal waters, especially in bays and are often on sandy or muddy bottoms. While they can be found in deeper waters (up to 300 feet), they are at their best in shallower areas, typically within the seashore to 20 feet deep.

Lemon sharks

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 01:11:25 UTC

Lemon sharks primarily inhabit warm, shallow coastal waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, including coral reefs, mangrove habitats, and enclosed bays. They are found in the western Atlantic from New Jersey to southern Brazil, and in the eastern Atlantic off West Africa. In the Pacific, they range from Baja California to Ecuador.

Hammerhead sharks

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 01:16:57 UTC

Hammerhead sharks inhabit warm, temperate, and tropical waters worldwide, typically found near coastlines, continental shelves, and islands. They prefer shallow waters, often near reefs and lagoons, but can also be found in deeper waters offshore. Some species migrate seasonally, moving towards the poles in summer and back towards the equator in winter.

Bigeye thresher sharks

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 01:23:53 UTC

Bigeye thresher sharks are found in warm, temperate, and tropical oceanic and coastal waters worldwide. They prefer surface temperatures of 16° to 25°C but can also be found from the surface down to depths of at least 152.3 meters.

Blue sharks

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 01:29:48 UTC

Blue sharks are found worldwide in temperate and tropical oceans, inhabiting both deep and surface waters. They are highly migratory, often following major ocean currents, and are typically found in open ocean, though they may venture closer to shore, especially around oceanic islands.

Grey nurse sharks

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 01:35:19 UTC

Grey nurse sharks inhabit shallow, inshore coastal waters, preferring areas with sandy bottoms, rocky caves, and reefs. They are found in both the eastern and western coastal waters of Australia. On the east coast, they range from central Queensland to southern New South Wales, while on the west coast, they are found from the North West Shelf to the Great Australian Bight.

Tiger sharks

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 01:39:44 UTC

Tiger sharks are found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters. They are particularly common in shallow, coastal areas, but are also known to venture into deeper waters. In Australia, they can be found from southwestern Western Australia across the tropical north and south to the southern coast of New South Wales, according to Australia Wide First Aid. They are also frequently encountered in the central Pacific, often near islands and shallow reefs.

Greenland shark

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 01:42:47 UTC

Greenland sharks are primarily found in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, inhabiting cold waters ranging from the surface to depths of over 2,600 meters. While their core range is in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, they have been observed as far south as the Caribbean and even near Antarctica.

Greenland sharks are also know for how long they can live. Some live up to 500 years old.

Basking shark

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 01:46:05 UTC

Basking sharks are found in temperate and cool waters around the world, preferring coastal-pelagic environments. They are migratory, following plankton blooms, and can be found in both the northern and southern hemispheres. In Australia, they are most common off the southern coastline, with sightings from Exmouth Gulf in Western Australia to north of Port Stephens in New South Wales.

Epaulette sharks

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 01:49:59 UTC

Epaulette sharks are most commonly found in the shallow, inshore waters and coral reefs of northern Australia and around New Guinea. Specifically, they inhabit areas from Sydney (New South Wales) up through Queensland, the Northern Territory, and into northern Western Australia.They are also found around New Guinea, including both Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Viper dogfish sharks

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 01:53:40 UTC

Viper dogfish sharks, also known as viper sharks, are rarely seen, deep-sea creatures primarily found in the Pacific Ocean. Specifically, they inhabit the waters off the coasts of Japan, Taiwan, and Hawaii. They are known for their unique hunting style and extendable jaws.

Angel shark

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 01:57:16 UTC

Angel sharks are found in various coastal and outer continental shelf habitats worldwide, primarily in temperate waters. They are known to inhabit areas like the northeastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Canary Islands.Specifically, the common angel shark is found in the waters of northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Canary Islands. Additionally, they can be found in the eastern Pacific, ranging from Alaska to Chile.

Megamouth shark

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 02:00:46 UTC

Megamouth sharks are found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters, but are most commonly sighted in the Pacific Ocean, particularly around Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines. They are believed to follow deep scattering layers of plankton and migrate between the surface and deeper waters. While they are found in both coastal and open ocean environments, most specimens have been observed in the Indo-Pacific region.

Speartooth shark

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 02:10:15 UTC

Speartooth sharks, are primarily found in a limited number of tropical rivers and adjacent marine waters in northern Australia and southern Papua New Guinea. In Australia, they inhabit the Bizant and Wenlock Rivers in Queensland, and the Adelaide and Alligator Rivers in the Northern Territory, according to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. They also occur in southern Papua New Guinea, near Port Romilly and the Fly River, and in the Daru region.

Pyjama shark

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 02:16:30 UTC

Pyjama sharks are most commonly found in the coastal waters of South Africa. They are endemic, meaning they are not found anywhere else in the world.Specifically, they inhabit temperate inshore waters from the shore down to depths of around 100 meters. They are frequently found in areas with rocky reefs and kelp forests.

Nervous shark

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 02:23:57 UTC

Nervous sharks, are commonly found in the shallow, coastal waters of northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. More specifically, they inhabit continental and insular shelves in tropical and subtropical regions. Within Australia, they are found from Shark Bay (Western Australia) to Moreton Bay (Queensland).

Silky shark

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 02:27:04 UTC

Silky sharks are globally distributed in tropical and warm temperate waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. They are commonly found in the open ocean, often near seamounts and oceanic islands.

Shortfin mako shark

georgiarudder — 2025-08-14 02:29:19 UTC

Shortfin mako sharks are found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters of all oceans, including the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They are pelagic, meaning they inhabit open ocean waters, and can be found from the surface to depths of at least 500 meters. While they prefer warmer waters, they are known to migrate into cooler regions.