Do Sharks Eat Crabs?

Sharks are the predators of the sea and can be found in oceans all over the world. Have you ever wondered what sharks eat? Here, we will talk about the foods that sharks eat and the diets of a few different types of sharks.  

Do sharks eat crabs? Sharks do enjoy eating crabs and other crustaceans such as lobsters. One type of shark, the smooth dogfish, loves to eat crabs and lobsters. Sharks are carnivores, so they only eat the meat from other animals, and crab meat offers lots of nutrients for sharks. 

QUIZ: Shark Photo Quiz – Can You Recognize These Sharks?

Table of Contents

What do sharks eat? 

Sharks are opportunistic feeders, which means that they are flexible and will eat a variety of different foods. Sharks are carnivores and so they eat a bunch of different ocean animals. 

https://youtu.be/liijgHmbBzg
https://youtu.be/liijgHmbBzg

Do sharks eat jellyfish? 

Some sharks do eat jellyfish. Sharks that eat jellyfish are sharks that live in open waters (also known as pelagic sharks). They will eat smaller jellyfish and try to avoid larger jellyfish because they have more venom. Tiger sharks are one type of shark that likes to eat jellyfish. Young tiger sharks will swim close to the shore at night where the jellyfish are and snack on them.  Read more in our post here.

Do sharks eat octopus? 

Sharks do not normally eat octopuses, but there have been some cases where an octopus has eaten a shark. An octopus suffocates its prey, and by doing this, it can eat a small or young shark if they are hungry enough.  

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Do sharks eat dolphins? 

Sharks will sometimes eat a dolphin calf. This is when dolphins are the weakest. They will not eat an adult dolphin, and in fact, sharks will try to steer clear of dolphins because they are very fast and very strong. With that being said, sharks gave been known to follow dolphins at a safe distance because both creatures like to same food

Sharks eating a dolphin

Do sharks eat sea turtles? 

Sharks can eat sea turtles and they will shake a turtle while holding it to allow its sharp teeth to break through the turtle’s shell. Sea turtle shells are much softer than the shell of a turtle that we see walking on land. 

Do sharks eat seals? 

Large species of sharks, like great white sharks, do eat seals. Seals and sea lions are a large part of a great white shark’s diet. This is because these animals have a lot of fat, which gives sharks their much-needed energy. 

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Do sharks eat other sharks? 

It is actually pretty common for one shark to eat another shark. Larger and older sharks will sometimes eat weaker or younger sharks. Great white sharks, tiger sharks, and hammerhead sharks are some of the most common sharks that will eat other members of their species, but cannibalism is common in pretty much every species of sharks. 

Do sharks eat people? 

Humans are not part of a shark’s natural diet. While shark attacks do occur, they are usually because the shark is confused or curious, as opposed to needing to eat them because they are hungry. In reality, sharks have more to fear from humans than humans have to fear from sharks. 

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What do different types of sharks eat? 

There are 440 different species of sharks, ranging from the dwarf lantern shark (which can fit in the palm of your hand) to the giant whale shark. Since there are so many different types of sharks, it is natural that they each have slightly different food preferences.  

Great White Sharks 

Great white sharks are arguably the most famous type of shark. Great whites eat fish and other sharks when they are young, but as they get older, their favorite prey becomes sea mammals, like sea lions and seals.  

Great White sharks eating a seal

Hammerhead Sharks 

Hammerhead sharks are easily recognizable by the unique shape of its head. The reason their head sticks out as it does is to help them hunt their favorite food – stingrays. The hammerhead shark uses their head to trap stingrays to the floor and since their eyes are on the edge of their head, they are able to scan the ocean better than other creatures which help them locate their prey easier.  

Bull Sharks 

While bull sharks are widely considered to be the most dangerous shark, their diet consists mostly of fish. These animals will hunt during the day and at night for fish to munch on. Sometimes, bull sharks will eat dolphins, sea turtles, or other sharks as well.  

Sand Tiger Sharks 

Tiger sharks look very ferocious, but they are not very aggressive sharks. They got their name because they have a big appetite like a tiger. These sharks will eat fish, eels, stingrays, crabs, lobsters, and even sometimes squids.  

Shark feeding frenzy