Louisiana is home to several shark species. The bays, estuaries, and lakes serve as nursery grounds for adult females and juveniles. The sharks found here for most of the year include the bull shark, spinner shark, blacktip shark, and hammerheads.
The bull shark, highly dangerous to humans, is found throughout Louisiana. In August 2022, a 6ft long bull shark was caught by an angler, Joseph Rohaley, when he was fishing in Lake Pontchartrain.
List of the Different Types of Sharks in Louisiana
| Species | Maximum Size | Aggressiveness |
Bull Shark |
7-12 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Blacktip Shark | 5-8 feet | Moderately aggressive |
Spinner Shark |
7 -8 feet | Not aggressive |
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark |
9-12 feet | Moderately aggressive |
| Smooth Hammerhead Shark | 8-12 feet | Not aggressive (but potentially dangerous) |
| Great Hammerhead Shark | 15-20 feet | Highly aggressive |
FAQs
1. Are there great white sharks in Louisiana?
In 2020, a 2078 pounds female great white Unama’ki was tagged along the Louisiana coast through OCEARCH.
2. Has there been any shark attacks in Louisiana?
Louisiana is at low risk when it comes to shark attacks. The early attacks occurred in 1917 when a 17-year-old boy was attacked and killed by a shark while swimming in Lake Pontchartrain. In 2021, a 64-year-old man was attacked by a shark when he fell from a fishing vessel.
