What does a tarpon eat?

Tarpon are opportunistic feeders and their diet varies depending on their size and location. Juveniles primarily feed on small crustaceans, insects and small fish, while adults have a more diverse diet that includes fish (such as sardines, anchovies, herring, mullet, and even smaller tarpon), crustaceans (like shrimp, crabs and crayfish), squid, octopuses, sea worms, and even smaller birds and small mammals that venture near the water's surface. Tarpon are known for their powerful jaws, which they use to crush the shells of crustaceans and the bones of fish. They are also known for their ability to leap out of the water to catch prey, a behavior known as "tailing".