Species Name: Carcharhinus plumbeus
Sandbar sharks are one of the largest coastal shark species, and the most common along the eastern US. They are closely related to bull sharks, though they are rarely aggressive towards humans.
Construction Notice: Seal Perimeter Fence
As of April 18, our team is installing fencing around the perimeter of our seal exhibit for the seals’ safety and to comply with USDA regulations. The exhibit will remain accessible during normal operating hours for visitors to observe our seals, and work is expected to be completed within a few weeks.
Life Expectancy
Estimated 30 years.
Diet
Bottom-dwelling fish, smaller sharks, cephalopods, shrimp, and crabs.
Habitat
Shallow coastal waters in temperate and tropical regions.
Range
Worldwide, including the East Coast from Cape Cod to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean.
About Sandbar Sharks
Length: Up to 8 feet
Weight: Up to 200 pounds
Sandbar sharks possess brown or gray skin with white on their stomachs. They are distinguished by a tall dorsal fin on their back, as well as short, round snouts and triangular teeth. They also possess large, broad pectoral fins.
Diet
These sharks will prey upon bottom-dwelling fish such as eels, skates and rays, as well as smaller sharks, cephalopods like octopus and squid, shrimp, and crabs.
Habitat
This species resides near the ocean floor in shallow areas along the coast, such as harbors and bays. They are the most common shark species found along the East Coast of the US, and the most common in the Chesapeake Bay, which is a major nursery area for sandbar sharks.
Reproductive Behavior
Sandbar sharks become sexually mature around their mid teens, and females will give birth between June and August every two or three years to live pups in shallow coastal areas. The pups, which are around 2 feet long when they're born, will stay in their nursery areas until late fall before moving south to warmer waters in schools.
Relationship With Humans
The sandbar shark is rarely involved in altercations with humans, as it only hunts smaller prey away from beaches and closer to the ocean floor, rather than the surface.
Concerns
Populations are considered overfished, having dropped possibly by two-thirds in the southwestern Atlantic from the 1970s into the 1990s. Sandbar sharks don't reproduce or grow as quickly as other species, increasing the vulnerability of their populations.
Celebrations
Within the US, recreational fishing of sandbar sharks is prohibited, and any recreational angler that hooks a sandbar shark must release it immediately without taking it out of the water. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) manages the species under the Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan, and fishery regulations have resulted in a slight increase in sandbar shark populations. Only a few commercial vessels are selected each year to harvest sandbar sharks for research under NOAA's supervision.
Resident Sandbar Sharks
Norfolk Canyon Sharks
Our sandbar sharks reside in our Norfolk Canyon Aquarium, along with our other large shark species: the sand tiger sharks, and our nurse shark.
IUCN Classification
Endangered (EN)
A taxon is Endangered (EN) when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the criteria A to E for Endangered, and it is therefore considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
IUCN Red ListVisit Our Sharks Behind The Scenes!
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