Australian Weasel Shark

About the Australian Weasel Shark

The Australian weasel shark is an uncommon ground shark that inhabits coastal and continental shelf waters. It occurs in northern Australia, as well as in Papua Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, at depths ranging from 12 to 170 m (39–558 ft).

Biology and Behaviour

Australian weasel sharks are medium sized, with a slim greyish to bronze coloured body and a pale underside. They have sickle-shaped fins, with dark tips on the second dorsal fin and caudal fin.

Young Australian weasel sharks occur near sand and seagrass habitats and as they grow older, they move to coral reefs. Australian weasel sharks feed mainly on octopuses and other cephalopods.

Reproduction and Lifespan

Australian weasel sharks are viviparous, meaning that embryos develop inside the mother. The gestation period is less than six months, and females may have two pregnancies per year. Litter size can range between 1 and 19 pups, but the average is 16 pups a year. The pups are approximately 21 cm (8.27 in) long at birth. Males reach maturity at about 60–61 cm (23.6–24.0 in) long and females between 60 to 65 cm (23.6–25.6 in) long. Australian weasel sharks can grow up to approximately 110 cm (3.6 ft) in total length.

Conservation and Tourism

The IUCN lists Australian Weasel Shark as Least Concern because there is no evidence of a significant population decline. In Australian trawl fisheries, sharks and rays cannot be retained. In some gillnet and line fisheries in Queensland and the Northern Territory, captures are controlled through total allowable catch limits. However, incidental capture n trawl, gillnet, and line fisheries remains a potential threat.

Do you have images or videos of Australian Weasel Sharks?
Submit them to [email protected].