The tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) is a formidable predator found in various oceans, including the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt. Belonging to the Carcharhinidae family, it's recognized as one of the more dangerous shark species. Encounters with tiger sharks are rare, especially while diving around Hurghada, but they do occur.
Characteristics of the Tiger Shark
Tiger sharks can grow up to 5 meters in length, with the largest individuals weighing up to 900 kg. Females tend to be larger than males. Their preferred habitat includes the open sea, deep lagoons, and reef walls where food is abundant. These sharks are opportunistic feeders, consuming a wide variety of prey, including fish, other sharks, dolphins, stingrays, turtles, birds, crustaceans, mammals, and even garbage. They primarily feed at night, often staying at greater depths during the day and surfacing in shallower waters at night.
Tiger sharks have a lifespan of over 30 years, possibly up to 50 years. Females mate approximately once every three years. The mating process involves the male holding the female with his teeth, which can be rough for her. Gestation lasts a little over a year. Tiger sharks are ovoviviparous, meaning the baby shark develops in an egg inside the mother's body, without a placenta. Females give birth to live young in the Red Sea between April and July, with a litter size of up to 80 pups, though usually around 30, each measuring roughly 50 to 70 centimeters. Unusually for sharks, tiger sharks care for their young, which may stay with their mother for up to six months.
Tiger sharks account for 19% of human victims of shark attacks, but these events are extremely rare.
Fatal Shark Attack in Hurghada, June 2023
In the afternoon of June 8, 2023, a fatal shark attack occurred at the public Dream Beach in central Hurghada. A Russian man died after being attacked by a shark off one of Egypt’s Red Sea resorts, according to Egyptian and Russian authorities. Egypt’s Environment Ministry reported that the attack involved a tiger shark in the waters near Hurghada. Authorities closed off a 46-mile stretch of coastline until Sunday following the incident.
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The ministry later captured the shark and examined it in a laboratory to determine the reasons for the rare attack. The Russian Consulate in Hurghada identified the victim as a Russian citizen but did not release his name. A video purportedly showing the attack circulated online, depicting a man struggling in the water while being repeatedly attacked by a circling shark before being dragged under.
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Previous Shark Attacks in the Red Sea
Shark attacks are rare in the Red Sea coastal regions. However, in 2022, two fatal attacks occurred in Hughada within days, killing an Austrian and a Romanian tourist. In June 2023, Di Gioia’s death was the first reported in relation to sharks since that of a 24-year-old Russian snorkeller in Hurghada in an encounter thought to have involved a tiger shark.
Another incident occurred near Marsa Alam, where an Italian tourist, Gianluca Di Gioia, 48, died after being attacked by a tiger shark while scuba diving. His friend, 69-year-old Peppino Fappani, was injured while trying to help. This attack prompted the closure of the area to swimming as a precautionary measure, and an investigation was launched to determine the causes of the attack.
Global Shark Attack Statistics in 2024
The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File investigated 88 alleged shark-human interactions worldwide in 2024. The 2024 worldwide total of 47 confirmed unprovoked cases is in line with the most recent five-year (2019-2023) average of 64 incidents annually. There were 7 confirmed shark-related fatalities last year, four of which are assigned as unprovoked.
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Consistent with long-term trends, the United States recorded the most unprovoked shark bites in 2024, with 28 confirmed cases. Australia‘s total of 9 unprovoked incidents is lower than the five-year annual average of 15 incidents for the region. Egypt reported one unprovoked bite that resulted in a fatality. The Maldives reported one fatal unprovoked bite for 2024.
| Country | Unprovoked Shark Bites | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 28 | 0 |
| Australia | 9 | 0 |
| Egypt | 1 | 1 |
| Maldives | 1 | 1 |
| Western Sahara | 0 | 1 |
Swimmers and waders accounted for the majority of unprovoked bites, representing 50% of the incidents. The total number of unprovoked shark bites worldwide remains extremely low.
Preventative Measures and Ecological Balance
To mitigate the risk of shark attacks, experts recommend developing a plan to manage marine waste, regulate fishing, and combat marine pollution to avoid altering shark behaviour and maintain the ecological balance. Separating the Red Sea fishing area from the Gulf of Suez and banning fishing boats in all parts of the Red Sea from Ashrafi Reef to the Egypt/Sudan border in the south are also suggested.
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