Top 10 Scariest Shark Species

Strength in numbers isn’t a concept that typically comes to mind with sharks, but that’s what earns this species a spot on our list. When hunting, blue sharks come together to form a pack, herding their prey towards a grisly fate. Now, because they prefer open waters to the coast, human attacks are extremely uncommon. But when they do attack — as has been known to happen after shipwrecks— fatality rates are high. As if that’s not scary enough, consider this: when blue sharks give birth, the litter ranges from 25 to over 100 pups. Imagine 100 miniature versions of this shark swimming around you. If there are any filmmakers watching, with a little creative license, we see the potential for a “Piranha 3D” style horror flick.

With so many powerhouse sharks out there, you might be wondering how this relatively small species made it on to our list. Simple! The wobbegong brings something unique to the table — camouflage. And if the “Predator” film franchise has taught us anything, it’s that we should fear camouflage. The term “wobbegong” encompasses 12 distinct species of carpet shark, who are so named for the way they lie on the ocean floor, blending into their surroundings. When a fish swims too close, the wobbegong strikes with shocking speed. Though they’re far too small to prey upon humans, they have been known to attack when threatened. The bite is surprisingly severe, and wobbegongs are infamously hard to shake once they’ve latched on.

Not to be confused with another similarly-named shark, the sand tiger shark is more about intimidation factor than anything else. There haven’t been many documented attacks on humans. And of the few that have occurred, there are no known fatalities. In fact, it’s been argued that the sand tiger shark’s mouth is too small to inflict life-threatening injuries. Regardless, it certainly makes a big impression. The sand tiger shark can grow up to 19 feet in length and over 350 pounds, but it’s the teeth that really keep us out of the water. They might be small, but they are sharp, numerous and have a wicked hook to them. As this shark proves, you don’t need to be lethal to be terrifying.

Now this is one species of shark that really requires no introduction. With its distinctly shaped head, it’s without a doubt one of the most iconic and instantly recognizable creatures in the ocean. In reality, however, the term “Hammerhead Shark” actually refers to a collection of species, the largest of which is the appropriately named “Great Hammerhead”. Measuring up to 20 feet in length, this particular species should be treated with extreme caution should you encounter one. Sadly, these impressive creatures are considered critically endangered due to excessive fishing. They rarely attack humans, but when they do, they can very easily inflict lethal injuries. Versatile hunters, various hammerhead species feed in groups during the day but go at it alone by night.

Meet the fastest shark in the world. That should be reason enough to inspire a healthy respect, if not outright fear. The shortfin mako can reach speeds of 42 miles (or 68 kilometers) per hour. Translation? If you were unlucky enough to find yourself in the position of being its prey, you likely wouldn’t see it coming until you felt the bite. And while this particular species might be short in the fin department, their teeth are very much long. The shortfin mako has razor sharp chompers jutting out at crazy angles that can be seen even when it closes its mouth. Add to that the fact they can reach weights of 1200 pounds and lengths of over 12 feet, and you’ve got one seriously intimidating predator.

More modest in size than some of the other sharks discussed today, blacktips top out at just shy of 5 feet in length, and hit their max weight at about 270 pounds. Yet they should not be underestimated. Blacktips make up the difference in speed, strength and (at least when food is present), aggressiveness. They’re skilled predators who typically prey on schools of fish; when hunting, they’ve often been seen launching themselves out of the water, propelled by the speed and intensity of their charge. And while they might not be overtly aggressive towards humans, they have a number of unprovoked attacks on record. In fact, it’s estimated that they’re responsible for perhaps 16% of Florida’s yearly shark attacks.

Though similar in name to our previous shark, the whitetip is notably larger; the biggest specimen on record hit an impressive 13 feet, though they tend to top out at under 10 feet. As we move through our top 5, you’ll notice that the sharks are getting notably more aggressive. The whitetip coasts along at a relatively slow pace, but when opportunity presents itself, it can be downright savage. In fact, famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau once called it "the most dangerous of all sharks". It’s arguably more aggressive than our top entry, but given that it’s an open-water shark that rarely approaches the coast, it has less opportunity to show it. When there’s a shipwreck however, it’s often the first responder. Ruh roh!

No sand to be seen this time around, this is the tiger shark that you know and love... to fear. So-named for its distinctive striped coloration, this species of shark does its namesake proud. It is a large and ruthless macropredator, with few rivals. They’ve been known to hunt prey as large as dolphins and smaller sharks, but are arguably more famous for being rather undiscerning diners; tiger sharks will eat anything that catches their eye, including inedible materials and, yes… humans. Though such attacks are rare, when they do strike, the results often prove fatal due to the size, strength and ferocity of these creatures. In fact, it’s second only to our number 1 entry in terms of recorded fatal bites.

Much like the tiger shark, the bull shark does its land-bound namesake proud. Our number three pick technically has more kills and attacks under its belt, but only by a small margin. It’s also worth noting that the bull shark is actually many times smaller than the tiger shark. But it's the fact that the bull shark is so aggressive and lethal despite its small size that makes it such a impressive (in other words, terrifying) species. Though it lives in the ocean, it has been known to swim upstream into freshwater, adding an entirely different reason to fear it. The bull shark has turned up in the least expected of places, including in the Mississippi River, hundreds of miles from the ocean.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Nurse Shark
Don’t Let the Name Fool You

Copper Shark
A Large Species Known to Attack Without Provocation

Basking Shark
That Huge Mouth Is All Kinds of Creepy

The shark most commonly portrayed as a man-eater in popular media, the Great White has got PR problems, but in all fairness, it’s not like it hasn’t done anything to earn it. According to the Florida Museum’s International Shark Attack File, it has more fatal and non-fatal unprovoked attacks to its name than any other species. Growing up to 20 feet in length and weighing a staggering 5,000 pounds at maturity, the Great White Shark is the definition of a predator. It’s actually the last species standing — make that swimming — of the Carcharodon genus, which also gave us the megalodon. In reality however, terrifying though it might be, the Great White Shark should be respected more than feared.