The Red Sea, the largest saltwater body surrounding Saudi Arabia, is home to various shark species. Some of them are the tiger shark, the great hammerhead, the sicklefin lemon shark, the sandbar shark, and the tawny nurse shark.
List of the Different Types of Sharks in Saudi Arabia
| Species | Maximum Size | Aggressiveness |
| Arabian Carpetshark | 2-3 feet | Not aggressive |
| Blacktip Shark | 5-8 feet | Moderately aggressive |
Blacktip Reef Shark |
3-4 feet | Moderately aggressive (if provoked) |
Bull Shark |
7-12 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Graceful Shark | 5.5-5.6 feet | Not aggressive (potentially dangerous) |
| Great Hammerhead Shark | 15-20 feet | Highly aggressive |
Grey Bamboo Shark |
2.3-2.5 feet | Not aggressive |
| Grey Reef Shark | 4-5 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Grey Sharpnose Shark | 2.3-2.9 feet | Not aggressive |
| Hardnose Shark | 3.5-3.6 feet | Not aggressive |
| Hooktooth Shark | 2.2-3.3 feet | Not aggressive |
Milk Shark |
3.6-3.7 feet | Not aggressive |
| Pigeye Shark | 6.2-8.2 feet | Not aggressive (but potentially dangerous) |
| Sand Tiger Shark | 7-10 feet | Not aggressive (due to their small mouths) |
Sandbar Shark |
5.5-8.5 feet | Not aggressive |
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark |
9-12 feet | Moderately aggressive |
Sicklefin Lemon Shark |
10-12 feet | Moderately aggressive |
| Slender Weasel Shark | 1.57-1.6 feet | Not aggressive |
| Sliteye Shark | 2-2.3 feet | Not aggressive |
| Smoothtooth Blacktip Shark | 3.9-4.3 feet | Not aggressive |
| Snaggletooth Shark | 7.8-7.9 feet | Not aggressive |
Spinner Shark |
7 -8 feet | Not aggressive |
| Spot-tail Shark | 5-5.3 feet | Not aggressive |
Tawny Nurse Shark |
9.6-10 feet | Not aggressive |
Tiger Shark |
10-14 feet | Highly aggressive |
Whale Shark |
18-32 feet | Not aggressive |
| Whitecheek Shark | 3.2-3.3 feet | Not aggressive |
Whitetip Reef Shark |
3-5.5 feet | Moderately aggressive (only when provoked) |
Zebra Shark |
8.2-11 feet | Not aggressive |
Recent Cases of Shark Attacks in Saudi Arabia >>
FAQs
1. Do shark attacks occur in Saudi Arabia?
There have been very few shark attacks in the country, with most being non-fatal.
2. Do great white sharks live in the waters around Saudi Arabia?
Great whites do not reside in Saudi Arabian waters.
