Bull sharks and great whites are known for their fierceness and unique appearance. Let’s carry out a comparative analysis on these two.
Bull sharks and great whites are touted to be dangerous, man-eating animals. The great whites are bigger and more powerful. However, bull sharks are considered deadlier and more aggressive since they swim near the surfaces and coastal regions as compared to great whites that occupy open oceans.
Key Takeaways:
| Aspect | Bull Sharks | Great White Sharks |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Smaller: Males up to 7 ft, Females up to 11 ft | Larger: Males 11-15 ft, Females 15-20 ft |
| Habitat | Shallow coastal waters, rivers, estuaries | Temperate oceans, open seas, away from the coast |
| Deadliness | Deadlier due to proximity to humans | Less deadly, human attacks often due to mistaken identity |
| Identification | Gray-brown with light underbelly, uneven tail fins | Dark gray-black with pale white underside, symmetrical tail |
| Predators | Vulnerable to Sandbar, Tiger, and Blue Sharks | Rarely preyed upon, except by humans and killer whales |
| Diet | Fish, birds, turtles, smaller sharks, various marine life | Sea mammals (seals, sea lions), sometimes humans |
| Behavior | More aggressive, especially in coastal areas | Aggressive predators, potential threat to marine life |
People frequently ask a lot of questions about great whites and bull sharks. Let us today address some of the most often asked ones.
Image Credits: “オオメジロザメ Bull shark” by ume-y is marked with CC BY 2.0.
Image Credits: “Great White Shark” by Elias Levy is marked with CC BY 2.0.
Are bull sharks stronger than great white sharks?
Bull sharks and great white sharks take the top spot when it comes to fierce marine species. But are bull sharks stronger? Let’s find out.
Bull sharks are not stronger than great white sharks if we are making a straightforward comparison. This is because great white sharks are bigger than bull sharks and can easily overpower them. In addition, they also weigh more and are far more aggressive than bull sharks. However, these two species seldom come in contact.
Both bull sharks and great white sharks are known to be aggressive towards humans and viewed as potential threats.
Are bull sharks deadlier than great white sharks?
As we have established earlier, bull sharks and great whites are pretty aggressive. But are you wondering which one is deadlier? Let us explore more in this regard.
Bull sharks are deadlier than great white sharks, but not because they are bigger. Bull sharks live closer to the surface and occupy freshwaters, meaning they come in contact with humans more often than great whites. Moreover, bull sharks tend to be more aggressive towards humans, whereas great whites only attack humans due to mistaken identity.
In straight combat between great whites and bull sharks, great white sharks are bound to win, but bull sharks are generally considered to be deadlier.
Bull sharks vs great white sharks identification
Bull sharks and great white sharks are two different animals. Each has unique markers that helps identify them. Let us explore more in this regard.
For starters, bull sharks have a gray-brown coloration with a light underbelly, whereas great whites have a dark, gray-black color with a distinct pale white underside. Moreover, the tail fins of bull sharks are uneven, with the top fin being longer, whereas great white sharks have a symmetrical body, with the tails being equally proportioned.
Of course, there are other points of difference between great whites and bull sharks. We will explore more about this later in the article.
Bull sharks vs great white sharks size
Image Credits: “Bull Shark” by Relativiox is marked with CC BY 2.0.
Image credits: “An angry Great White Shark” by TheGrantPeters is marked with CC BY 2.0.
Bull sharks and great whites vary significantly in terms of height and weight. Let us learn more in this regard.
Bull sharks are neither as big nor as bulky as great whites. For instance, male bull sharks can grow up to 7 feet, whereas female ones can grow up to 11 feet. However, male great white sharks can grow between 11 to 15 feet, whereas female great whites can grow up to 15 to 20 feet.
Just by virtue of their size, you can easily distinguish between the two shark species. Bull sharks appear quite small when placed beside great whites.
Bull sharks vs great white sharks habitat
Bull sharks and great white sharks have different habitat requirements. Allow us to tell you more in this regard.
Bull sharks prefer living in shallow, coastal waters, whereas great white sharks occupy temperate waters and swim deeper. You can spot bull sharks in the Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi and Amazon rivers, whereas great white sharks can be found in New Zealand, Chile, Western United States, Southern Australia, and so on.
In addition, bull sharks also frequent freshwaters and are commonly found near the surface.
Bull sharks vs great white sharks predators
Both bull sharks and great white sharks fall victim to predators. Allow us to tell you more about it.
Young bull sharks can be preyed upon by sandbar sharks, tiger sharks, and grown up blue sharks, whereas great white sharks can fall prey to humans and killer whales. It is worth mentioning here that great white sharks are one of the top predatory fish in the world and are usually not preyed upon by other shark species.
Great whites and bull sharks are aggressive animals who often prey on different marine animals of the sea. However, humans remain the chief predators of both these animals.
Bull sharks vs great white sharks diet
Bull sharks and great white sharks feed on different types of food. Let us learn more about them.
Bull sharks prefer to feed on fish mostly but also consume birds, turtles, smaller shark species, and other marine animals, whereas great white sharks feed on sea mammals, especially sea lions and seals. Often, great white sharks confuse humans for seals and chase them instead. This is the reason for most shark attacks on humans.
Neither bull sharks nor great white sharks are picky eaters. They feed on fishes mostly but eat marine animals quite indistinguishably.
Bull sharks vs great white sharks behavior
Both great white sharks and bull sharks are known to be quite aggressive. Let us learn more in this regard.
Bull sharks and great white sharks along with tiger sharks are counted among the most hostile shark species. However, bull sharks are slightly more aggressive, and there have been more recorded instances of bull sharks attacking humans since they swim closer to the surface. Great whites are also quite hostile to other marine species.
Apart from bull sharks and great whites, some other aggressive shark species include tiger sharks, shortfin mako, etc. These species are most likely to attack humans.
Conclusion
Bull sharks and great white sharks are hostile and ferocious aquatic animals. Although both of them are seldom threatened or preyed upon by other shark species, they are frequently exploited by humans. Commercial activities like overfishing, finning, etc., have posed a major risk to the shark population over the years. Therefore, essential steps for the conservation of the species have become necessary.
