Fun Burmese Bamboo Shark Facts For Kids

The Burmese bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium burmensis) is also known as the longtail carpet shark and is found in the northeastern Indian Ocean and surrounding Burma (known recognized as Myanmar). The Burmese bamboo shark is extremely rare and is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

This means their population is not very stable and they may need extensive conservation efforts in their environment to protect the species. This bamboo shark species does not follow any specific or distinct color pattern.

As for food, this shark feeds on small fish due to its large size.

They have an elongated tail with a long body, that is shaped somewhat cylindrically. Their snout is also broad and rounded and their body reaches a maximum length of 22.6 in (57.5 cm).

They are mostly carnivores and can feed on aquatic invertebrates and mollusks. These sharks also prey on small fish and aquatic crustaceans. The Burmese bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium burmensis, is oviparous and lays eggs in the sea during the mating season. Inside the egg, the embryos feed and rely on the yolk for nutrition and development.

Most of the information that humans have about these sharks is taken from observing the sole specimen caught in Rangoon, Burma that is now stored in the Smithsonian Institution, in the National Museum of Natural History.

Keep reading to discover more facts about this shark, like where the Burmese bamboo shark lives, its genus, species, the Burmese bamboo shark color, and what it likes to eat!

If you like this shark, check out the horn shark and the basking shark too.

Burmese Bamboo Shark Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Burmese bamboo shark?

The Burmese bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium burmensis, is an extremely rare species of shark found in the waters of the eastern Indian Ocean near Rangoon, Burma. They have a round snout, a cylindrical body, and a long tail. They belong to the Chondrichthyes (selachii) class and the Hemiscylliidae family.

What class of animal does a Burmese bamboo shark belong to?

The Burmese bamboo shark belongs to the class of fish also known as Chondrichthyes (selachii) from the Chiloscyllium genus of the Hemiscylliidae family. Their scientific name is Chiloscyllium burmensis.

How many Burmese bamboo sharks are there in the world?

The population size of the Burmese bamboo shark is not known but it's considered to be a very rare shark. Therefore the numbers are assumed to be very low. It is also a Vulnerable ocean species, according to the IUCN Red List.

Where does the Burmese bamboo shark live?

The Burmese bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium burmensis, is found in the eastern Indian Ocean near Rangoon, Burma. The only living specimen was caught from the shores of Rangoon, Burma.

What is a Burmese bamboo shark's habitat?

The typical Burmese bamboo shark habitat is found in the oceans at a depth of 95-108 ft (29-33 m). Their distribution is restricted to the northeastern Indian Ocean.

Who do Burmese bamboo sharks live with?

Like most sharks, the Burmese bamboo shark is a solitary animal that hunts in the ocean alone. They do not exist in groups or pairs. The only exception is when a Burmese bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium burmensis) is found with another shark during the breeding season.

How long does a Burmese bamboo shark live?

The lifespan of a Burmese bamboo shark is not yet known. Like other sharks in their family, these sharks might live up to 25 years in wild waters.

How do they reproduce?

Burmese bamboo sharks are oviparous, which means they lay eggs in water after mating. The embryos feed solely on the yolk in their eggs before the eggs hatch into the waters of the north-eastern Indian Ocean near Burma, and the pups begin their life.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the Burmese bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium burmensis, has been listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. This means that they are very rare and their numbers are not stable or increasing but instead, are rapidly decreasing in the ocean.

Burmese Bamboo Shark Fun Facts

What do Burmese bamboo sharks look like?

These carpet sharks from the Hemiscylliidae family have a long, distinctive snout and a flat shape that is akin to a pancake. Their fins are not very muscular but are instead very thin. They also have long body with a long tail. The dorsal fin of the Burmese bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium burmensis) has straight rear margins.

*Please note that this is an image of a bamboo shark, not a Burmese bamboo shark specifically. If you have an image of a Burmese bamboo shark please let us know at hello@kidadl.com.

How cute are they?

While the image of sharks is typically very scary and dangerous, the Burmese bamboo shark from the Hemiscylliidae family looks nothing like that. It is small, with a round snout and cute stripes, and is very flat. The Chiloscyllium burmensis looks very harmless and cute!

How do they communicate?

There are no studies that show how the Burmese bamboo shark communicates. Like other sharks, they must communicate using body language. They probably also have good sight and hearing skills.

How big is a Burmese bamboo shark?

The total length of a Burmese bamboo shark is 22.6 in (57.5 cm). It is only about five times the size of the hummingbird.

How fast can a Burmese bamboo shark swim?

There are no studies that have estimated the speed of Burmese bamboo sharks, Chiloscyllium burmensis.

How much does a Burmese bamboo shark weigh?

There are no studies that have estimated the weight of a Burmese bamboo shark, but we can assume that they are lighter than lots of other, larger shark species.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no names for male and female Chiloscyllium burmensis sharks.

What would you call a baby Burmese bamboo shark?

Baby Burmese bamboo sharks are known as pups and spend time growing in an egg before hatching into the Indian Ocean.

What do they eat?

As they are small in size, the Burmese bamboo shark hunts and feeds on small prey in its habitat waters. They can hunt small fishes and aquatic invertebrates for food.

The pups, whilst they are embryos, feed on the yolk while they are inside the egg. The predators of this small shark family tend to be larger fishes like other sharks, whales, and other marine animals.

Are they dangerous?

The Burmese bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium burmensis, is mostly a harmless species. It feeds on smaller fishes and does not interfere with human activities. They can be caught and hunted by humans, but they are an exceptionally rare shark species. It is believed that they can become aggressive and bite if provoked though.

Would they make a good pet?

The Burmese bamboo shark is extremely rare and only one specimen has ever been caught. It is not known whether they are good pets but one thing is for sure, this species cannot be a pet due to its rarity at the moment.

Did you know...

The sole specimen of this species, with a total length of 22.6 in (57.5 cm), is living in the Smithsonian Institution, in the National Museum of Natural History.

How did Burmese bamboo sharks get their name?

The Burmese bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium burmensis, is small and has an elongated tail that is longer than its body. The body is reminiscent of bamboo, which is also slim and long.

The first half of the name comes from their location, as they are mostly found in Rangoon, Burma. The genus name Chiloscyllium comes from the Greek word 'cheilos' which means 'lip' and 'skylla' which means 'a type or a kind of shark'. Bamboo sharks are also called longtail carpet sharks.

Are Burmese bamboo sharks endangered?

The IUCN Red List has listed the Burmese bamboo shark as a Vulnerable species. This means that this shark is at risk of becoming endangered and has a declining population distribution.

They have plenty of food sources in their environment and are not caught by humans that often. Not much is known about the reason why they have such low numbers and why they are so rare.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish including Caribbean reef shark facts or blacktip shark facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable bamboo shark coloring pages.

* Please note that the main image is an image of a bamboo shark, not a Burmese bamboo shark specifically. If you have an image of a Burmese bamboo shark please let us know at hello@kidadl.com