Leopard
Shark
What does a leopard shark look like?
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A leopard shark has a long,
football-shaped body.
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A
leopard shark is silver in color with bars and stripes of
dark gray or brown.
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On
its back it has two fins called dorsal fins. On either side of its body, right behind the
gills, it has a pair of pelvic fins. Towards the tail, or caudal
fin, it has one anal fin on the underside of its body.
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On
either side of its body it has five gill slits.
How
big are they?
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Leopard
sharks reach lengths of five to seven feet and weigh up to 70 pounds.
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At
birth, leopard shark pups are about eight to nine inches long.
Where
do they live?
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Leopard
sharks are found along the Pacific coast from Oregon to Baja
California and in the northern Gulf of California. They are very
common in northern California bays.
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They
are found from the shallow waters of the rocky intertidal zone to
depths of 300 feet. Most of the time they are found in 20 feet of
water or less.
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They
make their home in many different habitats, including mudflats,
rocky bottom areas, open coastal areas and kelp beds.
What
do they eat?
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Leopard
sharks eat a wide variety of foods, including worms, shrimps, crabs,
fishes, fish eggs and clams.
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