Where Does Thresher Shark Live?

Thresher Shark lives in specific habitats. Knowing where to look helps you find and identify it.

Where to find Thresher Shark

Water type

saltwater

Depth

Primarily epipelagic and mesopelagic, ranging from the surface down to depths of over 500 meters (1,640 feet), though some species like the Bigeye Thresher (Alopias superciliosus) are known to dive much deeper, to over 700 meters (2,300 feet).

Environment

Open ocean (pelagic), but also found in coastal waters, continental shelves, and around oceanic islands. They prefer temperate and tropical waters.

Geographic range

Cosmopolitan, found in all temperate and tropical oceans worldwide. Specific distribution varies by species: Common Thresher (Alopias vulpinus) is widespread in temperate and tropical waters; Pelagic Thresher (Alopias pelagicus) is found in tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific; Bigeye Thresher (Alopias superciliosus) has a circumglobal distribution in tropical and temperate waters.

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