Surprising Sharks

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The Grey Reef shark ( Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) has been called the “gangster shark” because of its highly aggressive nature. [11] Most sharks are born alive (viviparous). There are two ways a pup can grow inside the mother. In some sharks, the embryos feed on the yolk attached to their bellies. Other species have an umbilical cord that connects to a mother’s blood supply. A mother shark can give birth to up to 48 pups in one litter. The pups are usually born tail first and might rest beside their mother for a while before swimming away to fend for themselves. [9] Humans are the biggest threat these days. Industrial fishing led to a 70% population decline in the past five decades, with 100 million catches per year. Conservationists are reversing this through fishing bans, shark sanctuaries, and global conventions. Shark facts about shark behaviours

It’s a good thing the tooth fairy doesn’t have to dive underwater for sharks, as some species lose up to 35,000 teeth in their lifetime! 7. Over 400 species exist worldwide Before sandpaper was invented, people used the rough skin of sharks, called shagreen, to smooth and polish wood. Japanese warriors wrapped the skin around the handles of their swords to keep the swords from slipping out of their hands. [6] A shark’s jaw is not attached to its cranium. Because its mouth is situated on the underside of its head, a shark can temporarily dislocate its jaw and jut it forward to take a bite. [9] Sharks are fast and intelligent, and they can only fear humans. Yes, we are their only predators. But their bodies are authentic underwater machines. The sea isn’t the only place sharks can be found, as a few species have the ability to venture into freshwater systems. In the Bahamas, South Africa and Australia, bull sharks will travel up and down rivers. It takes a lot of energy for them to move between saltwater and freshwater, but being able to do so opens up a whole new set of prey for them. Meanwhile, the epaulette shark, which is found around coral reefs in New Guinea and Australia, can leave the sea by climbing out of the water at low tide and ‘walking’ between tide pools to hunt stranded prey.Recent research indicates that when a shark plies surface waters (when the dorsal fin cuts through the sea’s surface), it could be detecting pressure waves associated with a struggling animal nearby. [11] Shark fins are excellent swimming accessories. They ensure precise underwater movements. Most species have eight: pairs of pectoral fins, pelvic fins, and dorsal fins, plus an anal fin and a caudal fin. Discovered in Japan in 1898, the goblin shark has a long snout, beady eyes, and pink-gray flabby skin. Some scientists call it “Frankenshark” because it looks so ugly. Its bizarre beak may be a step in evolution toward something like a saw shark or hammerhead shark. [7] Great Whites can jump out of the water up to ten feet to catch their prey. This is done to beat the competition for food.

Maria Rachal, Sharks important to reef conservation, study finds, Australian Geographic, 24 July 2017. Even though sharks have great vision, scientists believe that sharks are most likely colour-blind. If you want to find out the science behind this, The Conversation’s article is a great place to start. 5. Sharks have their own personalities In Fiji, people believe in the shark-god Dakuwaqa who protects fishermen at sea. He is a shape-shifter, but his real form is a muscular man with the torso of a shark. Nicola Davies is the author of more than 50 books for children: fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Her work has been published in more than 10 different languages and has won major awards in the UK, US, France, Italy and Germany.To understand why using posters are important, you can even consider reading our blog post entitled How Can Pictures Help Children With Their Communication And Learning? Shark resources Sharks have rows of small holes on the sides of their bodies called lateral line organs that are sensitive to small movements in the water...which is how they know when other fish swim near them. [6] Survival of the fittest happens even before birth. The first embryos to hatch eat the remaining sleepy eggs or even their smaller siblings. These practices are called oophagy (“eating eggs”) and adelphophagy (“eating one’s brother”). It speeds up their development so they come out as large pups. Researchers found in a study of 40 grey reef sharks that their diving behaviour is influenced by the moon, water temperature and time of day. It seems that sharks descended to greater depths and used a wider range of depths, around the time of the full moon. 10. Hammerhead sharks have binocular vision Sharks eyes are located on the sides of their heads to give them a wider view of their surroundings.