Sharks are one of the most dangerous marine creatures in the ocean. They are fearsome killers of marine life as well as humans. Besides that danger, they also have very interesting things that you do not expect.
Interesting facts about sharks
1. Great white sharks eat 11 tons of food each year, while the amount of food that humans consume during this time is only about half a ton.
2. More than 80% of people bitten by a shark survive and tell their stories.
3. Humans kill about 73 million sharks each year. Meanwhile, sharks kill 12 people every year. Sometimes, they tend to come close to people when they swim, look at them, and then leave. Sharks rarely choose humans for meals, unless they are hungry or misunderstand that humans are a danger. So what if that happens? It’s going to be a teething, painful, and bloody test.
4. When it’s time to give birth, the mother shark will no longer have an appetite to make sure not to eat their babies.
5. Sharks change their teeth many times. Their teeth are typically not lost because of decay but rather frequently become lodged in their prey.
6. Although many people consider sharks to be the most dangerous animal in the world, in fact, every year, more people die from a wasp sting or a dog bite than from a shark attack. The probability of death is higher when struck by a falling coconut than when being attacked by a shark!
7. Tiger sharks, bull sharks, and great white sharks are the species responsible for most attacks on humans. They hunt human-sized prey and have fatal bites.
8. Great white sharks are notorious cannibals. However, they do not like the taste of humans, and often bite and then release the victim.
9. Sharks whip their prey to tear the meat. Therefore, we should cling to the shark when bitten if we do not want to be bitten and lose our limbs.
10. For defense, humans can punch sharks in the nose or poke them in the eye. Sharks don’t want to have trouble finding food.
11. Whale sharks can live up to 100 years!
12. The shark has such a keen sense of smell that it can detect a drop of blood in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
13. Sharks will sink if they stop swimming.
14. Greenland sharks eat polar bears and have a lifespan of up to 200 years.
15. As the teeth develop, tiger sharks begin to attack and eat each other while they are still in embryonic form in the womb.
16. The shortfin Mako shark can accelerate to top speed faster than a Porsche.
17. Great white sharks are capable of swimming for several months without needing to eat.
18. Most people think that sharks give birth. An adult female shark can lay eggs up to 14 inches (35 cm) in size, equivalent to a large pizza, the eggs are nourished in the mother’s body until bloom. Sharks are the largest egg-laying animals in the world.
19. Sharks are thought to have appeared more than 420 million years ago, before the time of dinosaurs.
20. Sharks have extremely sensitive hearing that can hear prey from up to 900 meters away. This trait makes sharks one of the ocean’s most feared predators.
21. When a mother shark is giving birth, the first sharks born will eat the remaining eggs while they have not yet hatched. This happened on both sides of the uterus, resulting in only two surviving sharks.
22. The surprising fact is that sharks are very diverse in size. Did you know whale sharks can grow up to 50 feet (15 meters) long, while lantern sharks are only seven inches (15cm) long?
23. Sharks have terrifyingly strong senses. Sharks, especially great white sharks are natural-born killers. Not only do they have incredibly sensitive eyesight and hearing, but they also possess electromagnetic receptors in their noses, allowing them to sense movement coming from what they perceive as prey. Not only that, they can also sense the smell of blood from hundreds of meters away, the length of football fields combined. Even great white sharks can smell up to 1.5km away.
Conclusion
Sharks are undeniably fascinating and complex creatures that evoke a mixture of fear and awe. While they are often portrayed as ruthless predators in popular culture, a deeper understanding of their behavior reveals a more nuanced reality. The points presented in this article shed light on the intricacies of shark biology, their interactions with humans, and their role in the marine ecosystem.
It’s intriguing to note that despite their fearsome reputation, the actual number of shark attacks on humans is relatively low. More people are injured or even killed by various other animals or accidents each year, making the portrayal of sharks as the primary threat to humans somewhat sensationalized. The statistics of survival after shark bites further highlight the misperceptions surrounding these creatures.
The ecological significance of sharks cannot be underestimated. As apex predators, they play a crucial role in maintaining the health and balance of marine ecosystems. The alarming rate at which humans are killing sharks compared to the number of attacks they pose is a concerning imbalance that could have far-reaching consequences for the oceans.
The diverse range of shark species and their unique characteristics are astounding. From remarkable adaptations like the ability to detect a drop of blood in a vast expanse of water to bizarre behaviors such as intrauterine cannibalism, sharks have evolved to thrive in their respective niches. Their longevity as a species, dating back hundreds of millions of years, underscores their resilience and adaptability.
