20 Shocking Shark Facts That Will Surprise You
Things you may not know about sharks
It’s difficult to think of a more awesome creature than the shark. Sharks are ocean rulers, blockbuster movie stars, and subjects of fascination for any rational person who gets excited every year when Shark Week arrives.
To us, these majestic beasts alternate between terrifying terror and endless fascination. However, despite their popularity, the average person knows very little about sharks.
Those razor sharp chompers conceal a treasure trove of secrets and surprises, and yes, we went in search of said treasure. The following are the 20 shocking Shark facts that may surprise you.
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Sharks Have a Sixth Sense
In addition to their killer sense of smell, sharks also can detect prey by tapping in to the small electrical fields that other animals generate using tiny organs called the ampullae of Lorenzini.
These small pores, located near their nostrils, around the head and beneath their snout, are something of a second sight.
Hammerheads Have 360 Degree Vision
According to a 2009 study, their eye placement provides them with excellent binocular vision and the ability to see 360 degrees.
Female Sharks Generally Dwarf Male Sharks
Females tend to be larger in most shark species, which is due in part to the fact that they must carry shark babies.
Not All Sharks Live in the Ocean
Just when you thought it was safe to return to the lake. While sharks can be found in all of the world’s oceans, a few species have been found in freshwater lakes and rivers.
Bull sharks, for example, live in tropical rivers and have evolved to swim between salt and fresh water.
Some Sharks are Pregnant for Two Years
You thought nine months was a long time, but the spiny dogfish shark species can take two years to gestate before giving birth, making it the longest gestation period of any vertebrate.
You Can Ride a Shark
The largest shark species is also one of the friendliest. Whale sharks have been known to pick up hitchhiking swimmers and ride them through the water. However, marine life experts warn against over popularizing this sport.
Great Whites Have a More Powerful Bite Than a Lion
The great white shark’s jaws are no laughing matter. According to a 2008 computer model, a 21 foot great white would generate nearly 4000 pounds per square inch of force.
That’s four times that of a tiger or lion, which were estimated to generate only a thousand pounds per square inch of force.
Bull Shark Jaws Work Like a Vice
Bull sharks have such strong bites because they feed in murky waters and must hold on to their prey when they attack. As opposed to those in clear water who can attack and reapproach repeatedly, often taking on sharks much larger than themselves.
Great Whites Specialize in Sneak Attacks
Great white sharks do not kill by crushing their prey in their jaws; instead, they prefer to chomp on their victim and pull back, allowing the prey to bleed to death before eating the rest of them.
Female Sharks Can Reproduce Without Male Sharks
Female sharks are so awesome that they don’t even need a male to reproduce.
Sharks Prefer to Attack Men
According to National Geographic, 93% of all documented shark attacks since 1580 have been on males. This is most likely due to the fact that surfers, swimmers, and fishermen are more likely to be male than female victims of shark attacks.
Tiger Sharks Will Eat Anything
This shark has earned its moniker by devouring almost anything it can get its hands on. Among the strange objects discovered in the stomachs of these animals are license plates from almost every state in the United States, video cameras, dog leashes, a bag of money, birth control pills, and other sharks.
Shark Skeletons Aren’t Made of Bone
Shark skeletons are made entirely of cartilage and muscle. Because it has half the density of bone, it makes the shark lighter and more flexible, which is useful when pursuing prey and making sharp turns.
Sharks Never Sleep
At the very least, they do not sleep like humans. Sharks remain semi conscious rather than falling asleep because some species must continue swimming in order to breathe.
Sharks Used To Be Bigger Than Buildings
As massive as some sharks are, their forefathers are even more impressive. For example, the Carcharodon megalodon, which first appeared around 16 million years ago and grew to 55 feet long and weighed up to 25 tons before becoming extinct about 2.5 million years ago.
It was the largest predator that ever lived, devouring dolphins, whales, and other megalodons.
Sharks Grow Up To 50 Thousand Teeth in a Lifetime
In what might be called a “conveyor belt of death,” the teeth toward the back of the shark’s jaws also serve as replacements for the teeth up front when they are damaged or lost.
Sharks Can Be As Small As a Goldfish
The dwarf lantern shark is not one of the fearsome creatures that comes to mind when you hear the word “shark.” This strange animal, found near South America’s northern coast, grows to only six inches in length.
Great Whites Have a Keen Nose For Blood
The giant olfactory bulb, which connects to the great white’s nostrils and allows it to detect prey with impressive sensitivity, is responsible for the great white’s famously powerful sense of smell. But don’t believe anyone who claims to be able to smell a single drop of blood in the entire ocean.
Sharks Heat Their Eyes
Sharks in the Laminid family (including Great Whites, Mako, and Porbeagle sharks) have a special retina that warms their eyes and brains, allowing them to detect movement more accurately and improve image resolution.
The Skin On Whale Sharks Is Six Inches Thick
Whale sharks have six inch thick skin that makes them bulletproof. Though it is not the thickest in the animal world, sperm whales have skin that is more than a foot thick, it is tough enough that scientists have found it extremely difficult to obtain a blood sample from the creature.
There you have your 20 shocking facts about sharks. I hope you found it useful and interesting. This publication will be growing all the time. Let me know if there is a topic you want some facts on. Thank you for your support.
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