Named the ‘tiger’ shark, for the bands that run vertically down the bodies of juvenile baḻkpaḻkŋani(ŋ), these deadly sharks are also known as man-eating sharks. They are second only to Great Whites, for recorded attacks on humans. Fortunately, these snub-nosed sharks are less likely to pursue you, even after an initial run-in.  

Baḻkpaḻkŋani(ŋ)  can grow to over 5 metres in length (with one unverified report of a whopping 7.3 metres) and it's no surprise that they have large appetites. As scavengers and opportunistic hunters, baḻkpaḻkŋani(ŋ) will consume large amounts of whatever they may come across. This can include turtles, stingrays and smaller sharks, as well as random, discarded objects that end up in the sea – such as basketballs, licence plates and rubber tyres. It is not uncommon for a tiger shark to die from consuming inedible ocean flotsam. 

Baḻkpaḻkŋani(ŋ) can often be found in shallow waters near coastal reefs – and therefore often encounter humans. They hunt alone at night in shallower waters, moving into deeper waters during the day.