Hawaii has over 40 shark species, of which the common ones include the blacktip reef shark, whitetip reef shark, scalloped hammerhead shark, and sandbar shark. Maui island has the most shark sightings and is infamous for the maximum shark attacks in Hawaii – 40% of the total (126) bites from 1995-202.
Sharks hold a special significance in Hawaiian culture and have been highly revered. Locals call it ‘mano,’ and a folklore did the rounds that the deceased took the form of sharks and visited their kin in their dreams.
List of the Different Types of Sharks that are in Hawaii
| Species | Maximum Size | Aggressiveness |
| Galapagos Shark | 9.5-11.5 feet | Moderately aggressive |
| Blacktip Reef Shark | 3-4 feet | Moderately aggressive (if provoked) |
| Gray Reef Shark | 4-5 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Bignose Shark | 8.5-9.5 feet | Highly aggressive (but not dangerous since they are less encountered) |
| Sandbar Shark | 7-8 feet | Not aggressive |
| Tiger Shark | 10-14 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Scalloped Hammerhead Shark | 9-12 feet | Moderately aggressive |
| Smooth Hammerhead Shark | 8-12 feet | Not aggressive (but are potentially dangerous) |
| Whitetip Reef Shark | 3-5.5 feet | Moderately aggressive (only when provoked) |
| Great White Shark | 11-16 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Shortfin Mako Shark | 6.5-9.5 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Longfin Mako Shark | 12-14 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Silky Shark | 7-10 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Blue Shark | 6-11 feet | Not aggressive |
| Whale Shark | 18-32 feet | Not aggressive |
| Thresher Shark | 10-18 feet | Not aggressive |
| Oceanic Whitetip Shark | 10-13 feet | Highly Aggressive |
| Big Eye Thresher Shark | 11-16 feet | Not aggressive |
| Megamouth Shark | 13-18 feet | Not aggressive |
| Cookiecutter Shark | 1.5-3.5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Purple Chimaera | 3.5-5.5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Longnosed Chimaera | 1-5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Diamond Stingray | 3-4 feet | Not aggressive |
| Spotted Eagle Ray | 14-16 feet | Highly aggressive (potentially dangerous) |
| Manta Ray | 13-15 feet | Not aggressive |
| Spinetail Devil Ray | 8-10 feet | Not aggressive |
| Torpedo Ray | 3-6 feet | Moderately aggressive |
| Giant Stingaree | 7-9 feet | Highly aggressive (reports of attacks are rare) |
| Sixgill Stingray | 4.5-6 feet | Not aggressive |
| Pelagic Stingray | 2-4 feet | Not aggressive |
| Bluntnose Six-gill Shark | 15-20 feet | Moderately aggressive (rarely target humans, reports of just one provoked attack) |
| False Cat Shark | 8-10 feet | Not aggressive |
| Sponge-headed Cat Shark | 1.5-2.5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Prickly Shark | 13-14 feet | Not aggressive |
| Combtooth Dogfish | 1.5-2.5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Blurred Lanternshark | 1.5-2 feet | Not aggressive |
| Blackbelly Lantern Shark | 1-1.5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Hawaiian Lantern Shark | 1-1.5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Mosaic Gulper Shark | 2.5-3 feet | Not aggressive |
| Gulper Shark | 2.5-3 feet | Not aggressive |
| Shortspine Spurdog | 1.5-3.5 feet | Moderately aggressive |
| Smalltooth Sand Tiger Shark | 12-14 feet | Not aggressive |
| Bigeye Sand Tiger Shark | 11-12 feet | Not aggressive (show aggression only if provoked) |
| Crocodile shark | 2.5-4 feet | Not aggressive |
| Frilled Shark | 4-5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Kitefin Shark | 3-5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Smooth Lantern Shark | 1-1.5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Pygmy Shark | 1-2 feet | Not aggressive |
| Viper Dogfish | 1.5 -2 feet | Not aggressive |
| Velvet Dogfish | 2-3 feet | Not aggressive |
FAQs
1. Are there great white sharks in Hawaii?
White sharks are common in Hawaii from January to April when the water temperature falls below 75 °F.
2. Are there bull sharks in Hawaii?
There have been no sightings of bull sharks in Hawaii to date.
3. Can you swim with the sharks in Hawaii?
Hawaii offers remarkable opportunities for swimming or cage diving with sharks since it lies in the Central Pacific Ocean. Oahu Island is the hub of all snorkeling and scuba diving tours, with the departure from the Haleiwa Harbor lying on the island’s North Shore.
