Dusky Shark Carcharhinus obscurus. If duskies can take down a humpback whale calf, then other large sharks like bull sharks, tiger sharks, and oceanic whitetips may also be … Dusky sharks reach sexual maturity very late in life, at the age of 20 years. Reaching lengths of 11 feet (3.5 m) and weights up to nearly 700 pounds (315 kg), the bull shark is one of the largest requiem sharks (Family Carcharhinide). Tracking. Dusky shark gives birth to 6 to 12 live babies (viviparous species) after pregnancy of 16 to 22 months. But even an apex predator needs protecting. “Dusky sharks are an integral part of a healthy ocean, but their numbers have been decimated by years of abuse,” Oceana attorney, Andrea … When they are born, they have a risk of being prey to larger sharks in the area, but as they grow this threat disappears. Major predators of young Dusky sharks include the Great White shark, Ragged Tooth shark, the Bull shark, and the Tiger shark. They are aggressive predators and eat a variety of prey. I’m active at night in the deep, dark ocean, so my sense of smell provides critical information about my surroundings. ... It’s how I find food, mates and predators, as well as make my way around the ocean. The Dusky Shark is a lesser known, large coastal shark found in coastal waters worldwide. The only predator of adults is humans, Homo sapeins , who catch them in fishing efforts and seek them out for their fins. Off KwaZulu-Natal, the use of shark nets to protect beaches has reduced the populations of these larger predators, leading to a studied increase in the number of juvenile Dusky sharks (a phenomenon called “predator release”). Though dusky shark fishing was outlawed in 2000, many duskies still get caught up — and killed — in longline gear that targets other fish. This is known as “bycatch,” and so far government regulators have refused to do much about it. See more ideas about Dusky shark, Shark, Whale. Young sharks spend first few years of their life in the shallow, coastal waters that offer protection from large predators. The dusky shark is an apex predatory species, but is physically similar to many other large Carcharhinid sharks. The dusky shark (Carcharhinus obscurus) is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, occurring in tropical and warm-temperate continental seas worldwide.A generalist apex predator, the dusky shark can be found from the coast to the outer continental shelf and adjacent pelagic waters, and has been recorded from a depth of 400 m (1,300 ft). This species’ populations are steadily declining on a worldwide scale due to its high marketability in the shark-fin trade and is considered endangered in the Northwest Atlantic due to its tendency to be accidentally caught as bycatch. Adult dusky sharks have very few predators that hunt them. Oceana notes that the reduction of this species deprives the environment of the important ecological role of an apex predator. Mar 18, 2019 - Explore Mark Madsen's board "Dusky Sharks - Carcharhinus obscurus" on Pinterest. The Dusky Shark (Carcharhinus obscurus) is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, occurring in tropical and warm-temperate continental seas worldwide.A generalist apex predator, the dusky shark can be found from the coast to the outer continental shelf and adjacent pelagic waters, and has been recorded from a depth of 400 meters (1,300 feet). How Long I Live I can live to almost 50 years! Favorite Answer.