10 Fascinating Facts About Sharks
1. Shark embryos attack each other
Sharks are so tough that embryos sometimes practice intrauterine cannibalism. In sand sharks, the largest embryo eats its littermates, ensuring that the survivor is large and relatively safe from predators.
2. Sharks have a sixth sense
Sharks can detect tiny electrical fields generated by other animals through specialized organs called ampullae of Lorenzini, located near their nostrils, head, and under their snout.
3. Hammerheads have the strongest electrical sense
Hammerhead sharks have about 3,000 ampullary pores, which help them track prey like stingrays buried under sand.
4. Hammerheads also have 360-degree vision
The eye placement on hammerhead heads allows binocular vision and nearly 360-degree sight, giving them a wide visual range for hunting.
5. The longest fish in the world is a shark
Whale sharks can reach 40 feet long. Despite their size, they are harmless filter feeders, consuming plankton rather than people.
6. Female sharks generally dwarf males
Female sharks are typically larger than males, partly because they need to carry and nourish shark embryos.
7. There are hundreds of shark species
There are almost 500 species, including bullhead, dogfish, weasel, mackerel, and catsharks, ranging from a few inches to 40 feet.
8. Not all sharks live in the ocean
While most sharks live in oceans, some species inhabit freshwater lakes and rivers, such as bull sharks and river sharks.
9. Some sharks are pregnant for two years
The spiny dogfish has the longest gestation of any vertebrate, taking up to two years before giving birth.
10. Yes, you can ride a shark
Whale sharks are large and docile enough to carry swimmers briefly, though prolonged contact can harm the fish’s protective slime coating.
