From reef sharks in constant motion to small deep-ocean sharks resting vertically on a rock wall, these awe-inspiring predators are found across our ocean — and throughout Shedd Aquarium. Elegantly slicing through the water, each is different from the next, but all display an eye-catching mixture of beauty and grace. Look closer at the sharks that live here.
Walking Wild Reef
Located on Shedd’s lower level, Wild Reef evokes the colors and diversity of a thriving coral reef. Its centerpiece is a 400,000-gallon habitat that’s home to blacktip reef sharks, sandbars, spotted wobbegongs and zebra sharks.
A sandbar shark cruises through Wild Reef.
A blacktip reef shark is distinguishable by the black tips of its fins.
Blacktip Reef Sharks and Sandbar Sharks
Sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus) and blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) continually cruise through their habitat. As obligate ram ventilators, these sharks must keep moving to push the oxygen in the water over their gills so that they can breathe. These two species are easy to distinguish in Wild Reef, as the blacktips are noticeably smaller and have a black mark on the tip of the dorsal fin (hence the name). The sandbars have a tall dorsal fin that keeps them steady as they glide through the water.
Spotted Wobbegongs
These so-called carpet sharks, named for their habit on the floor of shallow reefs waiting for prey, have a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth; when they grab a passing fish, they don’t let go. Spotted wobbegongs (Orectolobus maculatus) have beautifully ornate patterns and can grow up to 10 feet (but usually stay around 6 feet long.)
Zebra Sharks
When you see the zebra sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum) swimming near the upper half of their habitat, it may be hard to identify them at first, as their name is misleading. Adult zebra sharks have spots, not stripes, covering their bodies. Then why call them zebras? When the pups are born, they have distinct black-and-white stripes, which help them look more like a venomous sea snake than a tasty shark pup.
The zebra sharks at Shedd are fed a diet of squid, clams and a variety of fish. They are also given a multivitamin that’s often wrapped with a “fish burrito” — a fish stuffed inside a squid — that helps keep them healthy.
Whitespotted Bamboo Sharks
Wild Reef’s sharks aren’t only found in the immense central habitat. Nearby you can also discover bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) in the lagoon and mangrove habitats. Distantly related to wobbegongs, these 3-foot-long, white-spotted sharks are also carpet sharks, hunting at night for small fishes and crustaceans.
Exploring the Oceans gallery
Back on the main floor, the Oceans gallery teems with fishes, sea stars, cephalopods and sharks— although some may be less sharklike than you might think.
Horn Sharks
As its name suggests, this species has a short, blunt head and hornlike ridges. These sharks are not fast swimmers and typically stay near the seafloor. At 38 inches long, horn sharks (Heterodontus francisci) are one of the smallest shark species. Powerful back teeth, like our molars, help them grind up prey including mollusks, crustaceans and urchins.
Leopard Sharks
Leopard sharks (Triakis semifasciata) weave through the waters of the Kelp Foresthabitat. These smaller sharks are active swimmers and typically travel in schools. They live in coastal areas, often in rocky or sandy bays, as well as in kelp forests in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Situated at the middle of the shark food chain, leopard sharks eat fishes, crustaceans and the eggs and young of other sharks. They are preyed upon by bigger sharks, like the great white.
Swell Shark
The Kelp Forestis also home to swell sharks (Cephaloscyllium ventriosum.) This species gets its name from a hydraulic defense mechanism: A swell shark will tuck itself into a tight place and take in a large amount of water, puffing up to prevent predators from dislodging it. These smaller sharks typically lie low on the seafloor, where their sandy coloring helps them blend in. Their diet consists of fishes, crustaceans and mollusks.
Saving Sharks
Powerful predators and often misunderstood, sharks are important to the health of the ecosystems they live in. They are also vulnerable to human impacts, including habitat loss and overfishing. Collective action is needed now more than ever to keep sharks swimming.
Further, Shedd scientists are conducting research in the Caribbean to better understand sharks and their ecosystems. Our experts travel worldwide to observe Caribbean reef sharks, hammerheads, lemon sharks and other species. By surveying sharks, we can get a clearer image of their health and behavior — and make science-based recommendations for how to protect them.