While we’ve come to learn so much about sharks over the years, these apex predators of the sea still bring about awe and amazement. Why is that? It’s hard to provide a definitive answer, but all in all, the amount of shark species out there combined with our unfamiliarity with the sea lends itself to these thoughts.
At Shark Sider, our team of experts is dedicated to spreading knowledge about these incredible creatures. We want to provide shark lovers and curious minds with all there is to know about sharks. Here are some of the most interesting shark facts we’ve come across when talking with shark lovers and fans of the website!
How Frequent Are Shark Attacks?
The first of our interesting shark facts talks about the misconception regarding shark attacks. While shark attacks do happen on occasion, they do not happen as often as you’d think. The chances of being killed by a shark fall way below your chances of dying from a bee sting or dog attack. With those chances being slim as it is, you should feel a little more at ease knowing that a shark attack will most likely not happen to you.
How Many Shark Species Are There?
Next in our list of interesting shark facts deals with the amount of species present on Earth. All in all, there are over 440 known shark species throughout the world. Each one of these species in unique in its own way. Some of these amazing species include hammerhead sharks, leopard sharks, bull sharks, great white sharks, and even whale sharks. While most of these sharks prefer to hunt solo (since they are more than capable of doing so), the scalloped hammerhead shark prefers to travel in schools. As the saying goes, “Teamwork makes the dream work!”
Gentle Giants
Because of Hollywood’s depiction of sharks, you would think that all sharks are bloodthirsty and voracious carnivores. The next of our interesting shark facts shows that this is not entirely the case.
Certain shark species, such as whale sharks, prefer to eat microorganisms such as plankton and krill rather than normal-sized fish. The ironic thing about this is that the whale shark is one of the biggest fish out there in the ocean, weighing over 20 tons. We can think of this shark species as the gentle giant of the group.
The Biggest Threat To Sharks
While humans may think of sharks as threats, it’s actually the complete opposite. One of our last interesting shark facts discusses human beings, and their role in the near-extinction of these wondrous fish.
Humans are in fact, shark’s biggest predator. While killer whales, crocodiles and seals have also been known to feast on these fish, it pales in comparison to the amount of damage humans have done to sharks. Besides the desire to eat shark fin soup and other delicacies, sharks are subject to overfishing and bycatch as well. It’s truly a shame, since these creatures help maintain balance in our ocean’s ecosystem.
Visit Shark Sider To Learn All You Can About Sharks
Hopefully, these interesting shark facts will provide you with a better idea of how important and vital sharks are to the stability of our planet’s ecosystem. You can find more in-depth information about various shark species, as well as other tidbits of useful shark information at our website today. Let’s work together and make sure that sharks don’t become part of another extinction exhibit at one of our museums!