🦈 Shortfin mako vs Tiger shark 🦈
The shortfin mako and the tiger shark are about the same size. The tiger shark weighs about 5 times as much as the shortfin mako.
Getting the animals ready…
| Row | 🦈 Shortfin mako | 🦈 Tiger shark |
|---|---|---|
| Size They are about the same size. | 10 to 12 ft3.2 to 3.8 m1 | 11 to 14 ft3.3 to 4.3 m2 |
| Top speed Neither has a checked number yet. | no checked number yet | no checked number yet |
| Weight The tiger shark weighs about 5 times as much as the shortfin mako. | 132 to 298 lb60 to 135 kg1 | 849 to 1,400 lb385 to 635 kg2 |
| Lives They are about the same. | 29 to 32 years29 to 32 years1 | 27 years27 years2 |
| Eats The shortfin mako eats fish; the tiger shark eats meat. | mostly fish such as bluefish, plus squid | sea turtles, birds, snakes, crabs, shellfish and dugongs |
| Lives in They can live in the same kind of place. | open ocean in warm and cool seas around the world, mostly near the surface | warm salt water, from shallow reefs to deep water |
Which one? Shortfin mako or tiger shark
🏁 Who would win the race?
We don't have a checked top speed for the shortfin mako or the tiger shark yet, so there is no race.
We only race. Real animals mostly avoid each other. A race is the only fair contest: who reaches the tree first, by top speed. Our face-off books compare real numbers, and nobody gets hurt.
10 things to know about Shortfin mako vs Tiger shark
- The shortfin mako: A sleek open-ocean shark that travels far across the sea.
- The tiger shark: A big striped shark that eats many kinds of sea animals.
- They are the same kind of animal: both are fish.
- The shortfin mako and the tiger shark are about the same size: 2 against 1.
- The tiger shark weighs about 5 times as much as the shortfin mako. That is 1 for the shortfin mako and 2 for the tiger shark.
- They are about the same. Usual lifespans: 1 for the shortfin mako and 2 for the tiger shark.
- The shortfin mako eats mostly fish such as bluefish, plus squid. The tiger shark eats sea turtles, birds, snakes, crabs, shellfish and dugongs.
- The shortfin mako lives in open ocean in warm and cool seas around the world, mostly near the surface. The tiger shark lives in warm salt water, from shallow reefs to deep water. They can live in the same kind of place.
- The shortfin mako: in danger (Endangered on the IUCN Red List). 3
- The tiger shark: doing fine, for now (Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List). 4
Wow facts
🦈 Shortfin mako
- A shortfin mako travels very long distances.
- Females are bigger than males.
- It lives in warm and cool seas around the world.
🦈 Tiger shark
- A tiger shark eats many kinds of sea animals.
- It lives from shallow reefs to deep water.
- It moves slowly and quietly.
Questions kids ask about Shortfin mako and Tiger shark
Which is bigger, shortfin mako or tiger shark?
The shortfin mako and the tiger shark are about the same size: 2 against 1.
Which is heavier, shortfin mako or tiger shark?
The tiger shark weighs about 5 times as much as the shortfin mako. That is 1 for the shortfin mako and 2 for the tiger shark.
Which lives longer, shortfin mako or tiger shark?
They are about the same. Usual lifespans: 1 for the shortfin mako and 2 for the tiger shark.
What do shortfin mako and tiger shark eat?
The shortfin mako eats mostly fish such as bluefish, plus squid. The tiger shark eats sea turtles, birds, snakes, crabs, shellfish and dugongs.
Where do shortfin mako and tiger shark live?
The shortfin mako lives in open ocean in warm and cool seas around the world, mostly near the surface. The tiger shark lives in warm salt water, from shallow reefs to deep water. They can live in the same kind of place.
Do shortfin makos eat tiger sharks?
The shortfin mako eats mostly fish such as bluefish, plus squid. Tiger sharks are not in that list, which comes from its page.
Do tiger sharks eat shortfin makos?
The tiger shark eats sea turtles, birds, snakes, crabs, shellfish and dugongs. Shortfin makos are not in that list, which comes from its page.
Who would win, shortfin mako or tiger shark?
We never show fights, because a fight is not a fair way to compare animals. They can share the same kind of place, and real animals mostly keep out of each other's way. What we can compare is how big, how heavy, how fast, how long they live and what they eat, as above.
📤 Share this pair
The link carries only the two animals’ names: peabody.kids/animals/compare/mako-shark-vs-tiger-shark
Where these numbers come from
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Isurus oxyrinchus (shortfin mako), checked 10 November 2026.
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Galeocerdo cuvier (tiger shark), checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.