Tag: Shark

Sharks can smell blood from hundreds of meters away—in concentrations as low as one part per million (ppm). Can a shark really smell blood from a mile away? 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 […]

However, recent studies have also confirmed that great white sharks are capable of long-distance migration. While migrating, they move slowly and reach the depths of approximately 900 m. In the open ocean, great white sharks have also been recorded at depths of up to 1,200 m. What is the deepest shark in the ocean? Portuguese […]

The general structure of a shark’s internal ear resembles that of humans, but a shark’s is much more sensitive. Sharks can hear disturbances in the water caused by struggling fishes from great distances. As in humans, the shark’s inner ear also controls balance. Do sharks respond to sound? Sharks have an acute sense of hearing […]

“The loss of an eye did not appear to affect the shark’s fitness or ability to hunt. Sharks in general use all of their senses to find prey, so having one less eye probably isn’t that big of a deal in the overall perspective of survival.” Are there sharks with one eye? An unusual, one-eye, […]

It has been observed that sharks can go up to approximately 6 weeks without feeding. The record for a shark fasting was observed with a Swell Shark, which did not eat for 15 months. How do sharks survive without food? Sharks can also go without food for long periods. These fish can do so because […]

They help the shark keep its balance as it moves through the water and they can be moved from side to side to turn the shark left and right. This fin arrangement gives sharks amazing maneuverability. Why do sharks move side to side? By using an engineering imaging technique, researchers have discovered that as a […]

Phelps’ fastest speed in the water is around 6 mph and the top speed recorded by a great white shark is around 25 miles per hour. It’s still unclear if the Discovery Channel plans to level the playing field or in this case, the ocean, but we can verify that no, a human cannot outswim […]

When they’re upside down, their dorsal fins become straighter and more streamlined. The atypical stance is believed to have an effect on reciprocity with their surroundings, both through their motor and sensory reactions. Some believe tonic immobility might be a defense mechanism for sharks. Is it normal for a shark to swim upside down? Sharks […]

Sharks don’t sink and they are actually quite buoyant despite the size of some species. They would sink like a rock if it wasn’t for a few cool features. Shark Week is coming soon! So we are taking a closer look at these amazing creatures of the ocean world. Can a shark drown? Is it […]

Another common myth about sharks is confusion among people about sharks being amphibians. Sharks are cold-blooded, and they are not mammals, but they do not possess amphibian qualities. Sharks are pure cartilaginous fish species, probably a million years old, and tend to use gills to breathe air throughout their life. Is a shark a fish […]

Pelagic (open water) sharks generally have larger livers, with more and lighter oil, than sharks which live in shallower water or near the ocean bottom. The combination of a cartilaginous skeleton, which is lighter than bone, and an oil-filled liver work together to increase swimming efficiency and buoyancy. How do sharks not sink? Many sharks […]

Sharks are fish, even though some people believe they are mammals due to how big some of them can get and because some give birth to live young. Fish are aquatic animals that were among the first vertebrates (animals with a backbone) to evolve on earth. Is a shark a fish or a mammal? fishSharks […]

When sharks float upside like this its called tonic immobility. It occurs when a shark goes into a trance-like state by a reflex that causes a temporary state of inactivity, it’s very rare to catch a shark in this state. What does it mean if a shark is on its back? disorientateResearchers use this as […]

Oil is much lighter than water, which is why it was afloat while the water sunk. Sharks mainly rely on their large oil-filled liver to stay buoyant in the oceans. This is one of many ways that sharks are able to remain buoyant in the water without a swim bladderswim bladderThe swim bladder, gas bladder, […]

‘ Sharks are not known to swim upside down, but on rare occasions, they will flip over to assume a position known as tonic immobility. Tonic immobility is a natural state of paralysis sharks enter by stimulating the tiny sensory pores located on their snout, according to conservation group Shark Trust. What does it mean […]

When they die naturally, they sink to the seafloor, where they are eaten by scavengers. However, when they are hunted by humans, they are removed from the ocean, disrupting the ocean’s carbon cycle. Do sharks float or sink when they die? Scattered over the bottom, in the reef and on the sand, they saw the […]

First, sharks lack the swim bladderswim bladderSwim bladder disease, also called swim bladder disorder or flipover, is a common ailment in aquarium fish. The swim bladder is an internal gas-filled organ that contributes to the ability of a fish to control its buoyancy, and thus to stay at the current water depth without having to […]

Humans can, at best, swim around 6 mph, according to the Verge, and that’s among the fittest — the average person swims three times slower than that. Meanwhile, great white sharks can swim at at least 25 mph. Can humans swim faster than sharks? Humans at their peak athleticism can swim at best around 6 […]

Instead, these sharks rely on obligate ram ventilation, a way of breathing that requires sharks to swim with their mouths open. The faster they swim, the more water is pushed through their gills. If they stop swimming, they stop receiving oxygen. They move or die. Do sharks drown if they stop swimming? So, while most […]

Gansbaai, South Africa South Africa has recorded approximately 394 unprovoked shark attacks, including 94 fatalities, since the 1940s. Gansbaai boasts the most significant concentration of great white sharks in such a small area. The place has even created shark tours for tourists. Where has the most great white sharks? Great white sharks live in almost […]