Out of the 500 species of sharks worldwide, nearly 20% swim in the waters around Cuba. These include the basking shark, the bull shark, the Caribbean reef shark, and the Cuban dogfish.
List of the Different Types of Sharks in Cuba
| Species | Maximum
Size |
Aggressiveness |
Basking Shark |
23-30 feet | Not aggressive |
Bigeye Thresher Shark |
11-16 feet | Not aggressive |
Blacknose Shark |
3-5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Blacktip Shark | 5-8 feet | Moderately aggressive |
Bull Shark |
7-12 feet | Highly aggressive |
Caribbean Reef Shark |
8-9 feet | Not aggressive |
| Common Thresher Shark | 12-18 feet | Not aggressive |
| Cuban Dogfish | 2.5-3.6 feet | Not aggressive |
Dusky Shark |
9 -12 feet | Not aggressive (until provoked) |
| Great Hammerhead Shark | 15-20 feet | Highly aggressive |
Great White Shark |
11-16 feet | Highly aggressive |
Longfin Mako Shark |
12-14 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Night Shark | 5-6 feet | Not aggressive |
Nurse Shark |
7-8 feet | Not aggressive |
| Oceanic Whitetip Shark | 10-13 feet | Highly aggressive |
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark |
9-12 feet | Moderately aggressive |
Shortfin Mako Shark |
6.5-9.5 feet | Highly aggressive |
Silky Shark |
7-10 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Spiny Dogfish | 2.5-3.5 feet | Not aggressive (due to their small size) |
Whale Shark |
18-32 feet | Not aggressive |
Recent Cases of Shark Attacks in Cuba >>
FAQs
1. Have there been shark attacks in Cuba?
There have been several shark attacks over the years in Cuba. The most recent one was in 2017 when a 22-year-old swimmer was fatally attacked at Guardalavaca Beach.
2. Are there sharks near the beaches of Cuba?
Due to the proximity to the Caribbean, sharks occasionally show up close to Cuban beaches. The best way to avoid an unwanted encounter is not to go swimming after dark when sharks are most active.
3. Can you go swimming with sharks in Cuba?
There are places like Playa Santa Lucia, where tourists can go diving under the watchful eye of a guide and get up close with even dangerous species like the bull shark.
4. Are there great white sharks in Cuba?
Yes, great whites are often seen around Cuba. The biggest specimen ever seen was caught in the mid-1940s, which weighed about 7100 lbs and was 21 feet long.
