To see photographs of the Bronze Whaler Shark (Carcharhinus brachyurus) click here.
Bronze Whaler Shark (Carcharhinus brachyurus)
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protected: © 2002 Kelvin Aitken.
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only. Not for commercial use.
The name bronze whaler is mistakenly used to identify many
different species of tropical whaler sharks. In Australia the Bronze Whaler
is a single species found only in cool southern waters, from Coffs Harbour,
around the southern States, to Jurien Bay in Western Australia.
The brown to grey body colour of the Bronze Whaler Shark (Carcharhinus
brachyurus) has an obvious bronze sheen. Many other species of sharks
may also display a bronze glow, especially in bright sunlight. The flanks
have a pale blaze from below the dorsal fin to the tail. The margins or
tips of the fins may be dusky but they are never black or obviously patterned.
The upper teeth have a distinct outwardly hooked shape. Adults grow to
300 cm from a size of 60 cm at birth.
Bronze Whalers are often seen close inshore feeding on schooling fish,
such as salmon, frequently within the surf zone. They are also found around
offshore islands over deep water where they prey on squid as well as pelagic
and bottom-dwelling fish.