Sharks are some of the most thrilling and beautiful creatures in the whole world, not to mention the whale shark which is also the biggest fish in the ocean. These impressive animals can be found in waters all over the planet.
It’s rare for us to be able to appreciate sharks in all their glory. Fortunately, at Blue Planet Aquarium you can see some of the world’s most incredible sharks, getting up close to some amazing sea life thanks to our Underwater Tunnel.
Which are the biggest sharks at Blue Planet Aquarium?
Blue Planet Aquarium is renowned for its wide-ranging selection of sharks thanks to the 70m tunnel that runs through our shark tank.
We’re proud to be the home of one of Europe’s largest collections of big sharks. Meet the species of shark that you could encounter at Blue Planet Aquarium and see how they measure up in the real world. Throughout our list, we’ve compared each shark’s size to a Mini Cooper (which is 3.8m) so that you can picture it swimming along.
If you’d like to get up close and personal with the sharks, you can book a Shark Dive with our professional divers at Blue Planet Aquarium!
Zebra shark (Stegostoma tigrinum)
The zebra shark is a fascinating species of shark that we have here at Blue Planet Aquarium. Making its home in the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific region, they are renowned for their docile nature.
- Appearance: Sleek, cylindrical body that has ridges running down, with bold, dark spots against a pale body, along with a long, flattened tail.
- Length:5 metres (8.2 feet)
- How many minis is that?Just over one and a half zebra sharks equal the length of a mini
- Where can you find them in the wild?Throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific region
- Fun fact: Zebra sharks start stripy in their juvenile state, but their body pattern will change to spots as they reach adulthood.
Blacktip shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus)
The blacktip reef shark is commonly found in coral reef areas across the Indo-Pacific. Identified by its streamlined body and distinctive, black-tipped fins.
- Appearance: Streamlined body with a prominent, black-tipped dorsal fin and striking black markings on its fins, contrasting against a greyish-brown body.
- Length:8 metres (9.2 feet)
- How many minis is that? That’s just under one and a half blacktip sharks for the length of a mini.
- Where can you find them in the wild? Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean
- Fun fact: Blacktip reef sharks have been known to leap out of shallow water.
Nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)
The nurse shark, is commonly found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. Known for its distinct appearance and calm demeanour, it often intrigues divers and marine enthusiasts.
- Appearance: Cylindrical body with a broad, flattened head, small eyes, and distinctive barbels around its mouth, usually sporting a grey or brownish colour.
- Length: 3 metres (10.1 feet)
- How many minis is that? One mini is the same as one and a third nurse sharks
- Where can you find them in the wild? Eastern Atlantic, Western Atlantic, and Eastern Pacific Oceans
- Fun fact: Nurse sharks do not need to keep swimming in order to have water run over their gills thanks to their unique buccal pump.
Sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus)
The sand tiger shark is commonly found in coastal waters across the globe. Its intimidating appearance, marked by a jagged mouth and protruding teeth, tends to draw the interest of divers and marine enthusiasts, despite its typically calm behaviour.
- Appearance: Sleek, greyish-brown body with a prominent, pointed snout and rows of sharp, protruding teeth.
- Length:2 metres (10.5 feet)
- How many minis is that? Just under one and a third sand tiger shark is the same as one mini
- Where can you find them in the wild? Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, and in the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas
- Fun fact: Sand tiger sharks are the only shark known to surface for air. They store the air in their stomachs, allowing them to float motionless in the water, seeking prey.
What are the biggest sharks in the world?
Sharks are some of the most diverse species of animals in the world, with an extensive history that predates trees!
Here is a list of the biggest sharks in the world, showcasing the vast differences in sizes from the teeny short tail nurse shark, all the way up to the gigantic whale shark.
Whale shark (Rhincodon typus)
The largest shark in the world, the whale shark dwarfs every other shark by some distance. Despite their ginormous size, they pose no direct threat to humans because they do not hunt their prey so much as they filter feed, which means they swallow the water that surrounds their prey.
- Appearance: Colossal size, distinctive checkerboard patterning of light spots and stripes against a dark background, with a broad, flattened head with a large, terminal mouth.
- Length:6 metres (41.5 feet)
- How many minis is that? To match the whale shark it would take more than three minis
- Where can you find them in the wild? All tropical and warm seas around the world
- Fun fact: Whale sharks can live up to 130 years!
Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus)
The basking shark, found in temperate oceans worldwide, is known for its large size and how it feeds by swallowing vast amounts of water with plankton in. Despite its large appearance, it mainly eats plankton and doesn’t pose a serious threat to humans.
- Appearance: Gigantic size, featuring a sleek, greyish-brown body with a pointed snout, large mouth, and prominent gill slits, making it one of the largest fish species in the world.
- Length: 12 metres (40 feet)
- How many minis is that? It would take three minis to be as big as a basking shark.
- Where can you find them in the wild? Temperate waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
- Fun fact: The basking shark’s mouth opens to 1 meter (3.2 feet) wide.
Megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios)
A fascinating resident of the deep sea that continues to captivate marine enthusiasts worldwide. The megamouth shark has distinct features, mysterious behaviour and remains as a bit of an enigma.
- Appearance: Large, broad head, wide mouth, and distinctive flabby body, usually dark brown or black in colour, with a white underside.
- Length: Megamouth sharks can reach lengths of up to 7 metres (22 feet).
- How many Minis is that? It would take just under 2 Minis to match the size of a megamouth shark.
- Where can you find them in the wild? Megamouth sharks are discovered in deep-sea habitats globally, with frequent sightings in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.
- Fun fact: Despite its large size, the megamouth shark was only discovered relatively recently, in 1976, off the coast of Hawaii.
From the elusive megamouth shark to the fascinating nurse shark, the world of sharks is an eclectic mix of wonderfully well-adapted sharks owing to millions of years of evolution!
Whether you’re happy to jump right in with the sharks or would rather observe from the safety of our shark tank, you can book your tickets today so that you can take in the breath-taking beauty of the sharks that call Blue Planet Aquarium home!