Category: Fish

Why Do Sharks Get Beached In The First Place? The exact reason why a shark will beach itself isn’t completely known. However, it is thought that most sharks will beach themselves on accident or after receiving a serious injury. How can we help beached sharks? Lifeguards might also be qualified to help a beached animal. […]

This isn’t ideal for the shark as they have a quite slow digestive system, which is further slowed by the presence of all our many thick bones. Since sharks need a lot of calories to maintain proper body function, spending a few days digesting a human instead of eating something much more calorie dense isn’t […]

There are no sharks with legs. There are no sharks with legs. Certain species, however, can use their evolved pelvic and pectoral fins to walk on the ocean floor. As such, one could say that every shark that can use these fins to walk is a shark with legs. What shark has legs? The leopard […]

It can be induced by physically restraining an animal on its side or back. In some animals, it can also be caused by pinching the skin at the nape of the neck. Tonic immobility has been induced in many species of sharks and rays by inverting the animal. Does flipping a shark paralyze it? Alternatively, […]

Spiracles are found on most sharks apart from requiem sharks, mackerel sharks (such as the great white) and hammerheads – all of which have to swim constantly. So sharks such as nurse sharks and sand tiger sharks which both have spiracles are able to stop swimming. Do hammerhead sharks have to keep swimming? Myth #1: […]

So, while most sharks will be 100% fine if they stop swimming, a few iconic species such as great white sharks, whale sharks, hammerheads and mako sharks would suffocate without forward motion or a strong current flowing towards their mouths. What happens when a shark stops swimming? If they stop swimming, they stop receiving oxygen. […]

Sharks generally do not live in the Great Lakes. Because they need salty or brackish water to survive, most sharks can not survive in freshwater. The salt retention ability of bull sharks can help them survive in the Great Lakes. Lake Superior holds over 10% of the world’s surface fresh water. Which freshwater lake has […]

The water temperature in the Great Lakes is far too cold for most sharks (including the Bull Shark). Even if it managed to make it through the summer months, our frigid winters would turn it into a “sharksicle” in no time. Is it possible for sharks to live in the Great Lakes? Without the salt […]

the river sharks, Glyphis, true freshwater sharks found in fresh and brackish water in Asia and Australia. the bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, which can swim between salt and fresh water, and are found in tropical rivers around the world. Which river has shark? There are six species of river sharks found in the world, out […]

Heithaus, of Florida International University, speculates that “probably the biggest reason is that [freshwater tolerance] allows the juveniles, the little guys, to be in a place that’s relatively safe from being eaten by other sharks.” Adult bull sharks likely gain their own competitive advantages from salt retention. Why do baby bull sharks live in the […]

Tiger sharks have a reputation as dangerous because this shark species is responsible for more shark bite incidents than most other species of shark. However, sharks rarely bite humans and the risk of ever being bitten by a shark is extremely low. Sharks are not an immediate threat to divers. Will tiger sharks hurt you? […]

Bull shark are warmer water coastal sharks that stayin shallower waters usually to a depth of only 100 feet or so. Considering that it’s doubtful they’ve found their way across the deeper and colder Pacific all the way to the Hawaiian islands (which are the most most remote land masses in the world. Why are […]

However, this would not be the first time that an unusual, saltwater-dwelling species has been found in the southeast. In March of 2010, several sharks and octopuses were found in Watts Bar Lake, just up the Tennessee River from Chattanooga. Has a shark ever been found in the Tennessee River? It was identified by a […]

The only species of shark that lives in the Amazon River is the bull shark. Although we generally consider freshwater to be safer than the ocean, that isn’t always the case! The Amazon River is the largest river in the world (by volume) and is home to a very dangerous shark. Can I swim in […]

However, there are two species of sharks capable of surviving a long time in freshwater with physiological adaptations that allow them to do this. Can all sharks live in freshwater? Sharks must retain salt inside their bodies. Without it, their cells will rupture and cause bloating and death. Given this requirement, most sharks cannot enter […]

Nevertheless, a reasonable starting point for most species. Apparently, a shark in a fish tank will grow up to 8 inches, but in the ocean, it’ll growup to 8 feet or more. A shark will never outgrow its environment. Can you put a shark in a fish tank? Although sharks have been kept in public […]

At 100 m (330 ft), a shark’s lateral line system kicks in. This row of fluid-filled sensory canals on either side of its body responds to pressure changes and movements, so a shark can almost feel the presence and location of something moving in the water–a kind of ‘touch-at-a-distance. ‘ Can sharks sense humans in […]

It’s a myth that sharks can smell a single drop of blood from a mile away. Sharks actually have roughly the same sensitivity as other fish and can detect smells at between one part per 25 million and one part per 10 billion, depending on the chemical, and the species of shark. How far can […]

Sharks are fish, and like all fish, they can be spooked and scared by aggression and attacks. The first way to signal this intent to fight is to maintain eye contact with a shark and “stare it down.” Sharks are intelligent, and this lets the shark know you won’t be a meal that will go […]

Sharks have rough, hard scales called denticles. Often these denticles are ground down to make the leather smoother and easier to handle, which also gives shark leather its pebbled appearance. What does shark skin leather feel like? Shark Leather Texture If not ground down, these denticles create a rough texture for the hide when moving […]