Tiger sharks are sometimes called the “garbage cans of the sea” - not because they’re nasty, but because they will swallow almost anything they come across. Other sharks are picky. Tiger sharks are emphatically not.
Scientists examining the stomachs of tiger sharks over the years have pulled out license plates, old tires, bits of armor, a wallet, a tom-tom drum, raincoats, and famously a complete chicken coop with several chickens still inside. They also eat turtles (their main food), seabirds, dolphins, and stingrays, crunching through the shells of sea turtles with specialized cog-shaped teeth.
Despite the trash-can reputation, tiger sharks aren’t usually a threat to people. They check things by giving them an exploratory taste. If the test bite is interesting, they keep going. If not, they spit it out and swim away.
