Bull Sharks Have Best Friends

Author: Adina Hoffman

Bull sharks are considered one of the most dangerous sharks. They are very aggressive, which is why they are called “bull sharks," and they are also one of the few sharks that can live in both saltwater and freshwater. This helps them meet people more often.

But scientists studying bull sharks in Fiji discovered something surprising: bull sharks can be social with one another, much like humans. Just like people may have close friends, casual friends, or individuals they avoid, bull sharks also seem to prefer spending time with certain sharks over others.

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Scientists watched groups of bull sharks gathering together and noticed that the sharks did not interact randomly. Some sharks spent more time together than others, showing that they may form social preferences.

And just like people benefit from having friends and being social, bull sharks also enjoy socializing. Being social may help bull sharks in several ways. By staying near other sharks, they may learn new behaviors, improve their chances of finding food, or increase their chances of finding mates. Scientists say these social connections could play an important role in how bull sharks survive.

Bull shark - Photographed by Michaela Palmer

Researchers found that both male and female sharks often preferred spending time near female sharks. Male sharks were especially social and interacted with other sharks more often than females did. Scientists think that this might help the males avoid fights with bigger sharks because male bull sharks (like with most shark species) are smaller than females. By making friends and socializing, they stay safer.

The study also found that younger sharks tended to be more social than older sharks. This might be because older sharks already know how to find food and mate, so being social isn’t as important for their survival as it is for younger sharks.

Bull sharks can be both dangerous and social. Just like people, they have friends, can learn new things, and find food or mates. Although they can be scary, understanding them helps us appreciate them.

Bull shark - Photographed by Jillian Morris

Source:

Marosi, N. D., Ellis, S., Jacoby, D. M. P., Brunnschweiler, J. M., & Croft, D. P. (2026). Rolling in the deep: drivers of social preferences and social interactions within a bull shark aggregation in Fiji. Animal Behavior, 123511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2026.123511