A group of sharks is most commonly called a shiver — though “school,” “shoal,” and “gam” are also used. The term “shiver” is widely cited and captures something of the unsettling nature of multiple sharks gathered together. In practice, most sharks are largely solitary animals, and true coordinated groups are relatively uncommon outside of feeding aggregations and seasonal gatherings at specific sites. Understanding when and why sharks come together reveals a great deal about their behavior and ecology.
What Is a Group of Sharks Called?
Several collective nouns are used for sharks:
- Shiver — the most widely recognized and cited term for a group of sharks
- School — used more for fish generally, but applied to sharks
- Shoal — similar to school; a loose aggregation
- Gam — historically used for groups of whales but occasionally applied to sharks
- Frenzy — used specifically during feeding events when multiple sharks feed simultaneously on the same prey
Of these, “shiver” is the term most specific to sharks and most commonly accepted in wildlife and popular usage.
Do Sharks Actually Form Groups?
Most shark species are solitary for the majority of their lives. But several species do form aggregations under specific conditions:
Whitetip Reef Sharks (Triaenodon obesus)
One of the most social reef sharks — whitetips rest in caves and overhangs in groups of up to 20 during the day and emerge to hunt cooperatively at night. They coordinate to flush prey from reef crevices, a rare example of genuine cooperative hunting among sharks.
Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks (Sphyrna lewini)
Form large schools — sometimes numbering hundreds of individuals — at seamounts and underwater pinnacles in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. The function of these aggregations is debated; they appear to have a strong social component, with individuals competing for preferred positions within the school, and may be linked to mating behavior.
Nurse Sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum)
Highly social; routinely found resting in groups of dozens on the seafloor during daylight hours. They share resting sites and sometimes pile on top of each other.
Whale Sharks (Rhincodon typus)
Aggregate in large numbers at seasonal feeding events — fish spawning aggregations and plankton blooms can attract dozens to hundreds of whale sharks simultaneously. These are feeding aggregations rather than social groups.
Grey Reef Sharks and Blacktip Reef Sharks
Form loose daytime aggregations on reef slopes; disperse to hunt at dusk. Social dynamics within these groups include dominance hierarchies and territorial behavior.
Feeding Frenzy: When Groups Become Chaotic
A “feeding frenzy” occurs when multiple sharks compete for the same prey simultaneously — heightened sensory stimulation, blood in the water, and the presence of other feeding sharks create a positive feedback loop of increased aggression and feeding intensity. Feeding frenzies can occasionally result in sharks biting each other or objects near the feeding site. They are far less common than media portrayal suggests and typically require an unusual concentration of prey.
Do Sharks Have Social Hierarchies?
Research has confirmed social hierarchies in several shark species:
- At aggregation sites like the Farallon Islands, larger female great whites dominate smaller males
- In scalloped hammerhead schools, larger females occupy preferred central positions
- Whitetip reef sharks appear to have consistent individual relationships within their groups
The degree of social complexity in sharks has been significantly underestimated historically and remains an active research area.
Key Facts
- Correct collective noun: Shiver (most widely accepted)
- Other terms: School, shoal, frenzy (feeding), gam
- Most social species: Scalloped hammerhead, whitetip reef shark, nurse shark
- Feeding group term: Frenzy
- Most sharks: Primarily solitary outside of aggregation events
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you call a group of great white sharks?
A shiver — the same collective noun applies to all shark species. Great white sharks are generally solitary but do aggregate at seal colonies seasonally, where dominance hierarchies govern access to feeding areas.
What do you call a group of baby sharks?
A litter — the same term used for other animals’ offspring. Baby sharks born in the same birth are a litter. Once independent, they are juveniles; a group of them would technically still be a shiver or school.
Do sharks travel in groups for protection?
Unlike schooling fish that aggregate primarily for predator defense, sharks have few natural predators (except orcas and larger sharks). Shark aggregations appear driven by other factors: shared prey resources, mating opportunities, thermal or navigational benefits at specific locations, and social behavior that researchers are still working to understand.