Juvenile sharks are dark brown with stripes that look like a zebra's pattern. As they grow up, adult sharks become tan and have brown spots that are like a leopard’s. Because of these unique appearances, the species has two different common names. In the United States, people often call them zebra sharks, while in Australia, where these sharks are frequently found, they are referred to as leopard sharks. 

At the Columbus Zoo, we’re dedicated to the conservation of sharks like the zebra shark, specifically through our participation in The Association of Zoos and Aquariums' (AZA) Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) program.

Scientific Name: Stegostoma fasciatum

Conservation Status: Endangered

Size: Average length is 5 to 7 feet, with the longest being 11.5 feet

Weight: 45 to 65 pounds

Zebra shark
Nutrition
These carnivores hunt at night, eating mainly aquatic snails, shrimp, crabs, and sea urchins that hide amongst the coral. They also eat small fish.

At the Zoo, zebra sharks are offered a variety of fish.
Current Range and Historic Range
Zebra sharks live in the oceans of the Indo-pacific region, which includes the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.
Habitat
They are found in sandy coastal areas and around reefs.
Predators and Threats
Zebra sharks are hunted by other large sharks.

Humans hunt these sharks in various parts of the world, and unregulated fishing can harm the species as a whole. Additionally, because this species inhabits coastal waters, it is particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and the impacts of climate change.
Physical Description and Adaptations
Zebra sharks have a torpedo-shaped body with ridges that run down their flanks. Their tail is extremely long, about the same length as the rest of the shark. A slow but powerful swimmer, their unusually flexible bodies allow them to squirm into tiny crevices in search of food. They have a rounded snout and a small mouth with teeth made for crunching mollusks. A special sensory organ, called a barbel, hangs from each nostril and helps them search for prey.

Juveniles are dark brown in color with light stripes and spots. As they age, adults become lighter in color and the stripes break up into spots.

They have five gill slits on each side of their head. Many sharks must swim to breathe because they have to move water over their gills to get oxygen. However, zebra sharks are different because they often rest on the ocean floor. They can pump water over their gills using their mouths or special openings called spiracles located behind their eyes. To help with this, zebra sharks face the ocean current, making pushing water over their gills easier.
Reproduction
Male sharks use modified pelvic fins called claspers to fertilize eggs inside a female. She then lays multiple eggs in tough casings at the base of rocks or the reef. Pups emerge from the egg case at about eight to ten inches long. Once hatched, the young are completely independent of their mother.
Communication
Zebra sharks likely that they rely on visual signals, especially when it comes to mating. They may use touch and sound to communicate, as well.
Behaviors
Zebra sharks are mostly solitary but can occasionally be seen in larger gatherings of individuals. They hunt mainly at night and spend the day resting on the ocean floor or slowly swimming around the reef.

Zebra sharks do not usually swim in open water, so their territories are limited to the reef where they hatched or reefs nearby.