Puerto Rico is home to about 40 species of sharks. This information is not surprising, considering the water surrounding the tropical paradise remains warm year-round, which is ideal for most shark species.
Sharks tend to hang out close to beaches with shallow water and reefs that have a decent supply of food. However, they do not feed on humans and tend to avoid us altogether most times.
List of the Different Types of Sharks in Puerto Rico
| Species | Maximum
Size |
Aggressiveness |
| Antilles Catshark | 1.1-1.5 feet | Not aggressive |
Basking Shark |
23-30 feet | Not aggressive |
Bigeye Thresher Shark |
11-16 feet | Not aggressive |
Blacknose Shark |
3-5 feet | Not aggressive |
Blacktip Reef Shark |
3-4 feet | Moderately aggressive (if provoked) |
| Blacktip Shark | 5-8 feet | Moderately aggressive |
Blue Shark |
6-11 feet | Not aggressive |
| Bluntnose Sixgill Shark | 15-20 feet | Moderately aggressive (rarely targets humans, reports of just one provoked attack) |
Broadnose Sevengill Shark |
3.5-7.5 feet | Not aggressive (unless caught) |
Bull Shark |
7-12 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Caribbean Lanternshark | 1.6-1.7 feet | Not aggressive |
Caribbean Reef Shark |
8-9 feet | Not aggressive |
| Caribbean Sharpnose Shark | 3-4 feet | Highly aggressive |
Cookiecutter Shark |
1.5-3.5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Cuban Dogfish | 2.5-3.6 feet | Not aggressive |
Dusky Shark |
9 -12 feet | Not aggressive (until provoked) |
| Finetooth Shark | 5-6 feet | Not aggressive |
Galapagos Shark |
9.8-12 ft | Highly aggressive |
| Great Hammerhead Shark | 15-20 feet | Highly aggressive |
Great White Shark |
11-16 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Gulper Shark | 2.5-3 feet | Not aggressive |
| Kitefin Shark | 3-5 feet | Not aggressive |
Lemon Shark |
9-10 feet | Not aggressive |
| Megamouth Shark | 13-18 feet | Not aggressive |
| Narrowfin Smoothhound | 1.6-3.3 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 |
| Smalltail Shark | 3.5-4.5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Smooth Dogfish | 4-5 feet | Not aggressive (due to their blunt teeth) |
| Smooth Hammerhead Shark | 8-12 feet | Not aggressive (but are potentially dangerous) |
Spinner Shark |
7 -8 feet | Not aggressive |
Thresher Shark |
10-18 feet | Not aggressive |
Tiger Shark |
10-14 feet | Highly aggressive |
Whale Shark |
18-32 feet | Not aggressive |
Recent Cases of Shark Attacks in Puerto Rico >>
FAQs
1. Have there been shark attacks in Puerto Rico?
Shark attacks in Puerto Rico are pretty rare. Most occur when the shark mistakes a human on a surfboard for a seal and bites them under this misconception. Other times, they are attracted by the fish captured by anglers and go into a frenzy. In 2021, two surfers were attacked by an unknown shark – possibly a species of hammerhead. This was the first such attack in a decade, the last in 2011. However, it is believed that the shark was aggressively pursuing a stingray and most likely had no intention of attacking the duo.
2. Are the sharks in Puerto Rico endangered or going extinct?
Several species of sharks are endangered or facing extinction due to loss of habitat and getting caught as bycatch.
3. Can you go swimming with sharks in Puerto Rico?
Yes, there are places like Cayo Lobito and Mona Island, where nurse sharks live, the coral reefs of Vieques home to tiger and Caribbean reef sharks, and the famous Black Wall dive, inhabited by several species of hammerhead.
4. Are there great white sharks in Puerto Rico?
Though increasingly rare, great white sharks can be seen in Puerto Rico.
