Sharks

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Massively misunderstood and a source of fascination for many, the Shark is globally recognised and, quite often, feared. Many species of Shark are hunted for sport or for delicacies and medicine, meaning a worrying trend in worsening conservations statuses for many Shark species.

There are about 368 species of Shark ranging from the tiny Spined Pygmy Shark to the massive Whale Shark.

The truth of the Shark is different - while many perceive a Shark to be a ruthless killing machine, only about 25 species are reported to have attacked people. While hard to quantify, you are supposedly more likely to be killed by a pig or a donkey than a Shark. The idea is that Shark attacks and fatalities are so ridiculously low that you are more likely to be kicked to death by your mule.

Sharks are often fished for sport and this causes more damage than is realised. Sharks are part of the natural ecosystem and upsetting the balance can have knock on effects to other marine species, and consequently this can affect human life in the way of fishing catches and tourism.

The ancestory of the modern Shark can be traced back to over 450 million years ago. So well evolved is the shark that the species has survived successive max extinctions, including the disaster at the end of the Permian period (245 million years ago) when 96% of other marine life was made extinct.

The Shark is a creature to be admired and respected, not vilified and exterminated. We at Shark Information hope that you enjoy this website and also that we can help you understand the Shark.


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Sharks are fish. However, they do not have bones like other fish. Their skeleton is made of cartilage. This is the same bendable material that is in your ears!

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They also do not have a swim bladder, the air filled balloon-like organ that keeps most fish upright. Sharks have gill slits but no gill-cover, which is common to most bony fish. Because they have no swim bladder to keep them buoyant, sharks sink when not swimming. Shark's bodies are heavier than water and most sharks are constantly on the move. By moving forwardwith their mouths open,
sharks move water across their gills for breathing.  The larger species produce live young that are
fully formed, miniature versions of their parents. Mother sharks offer no food or protection for their
young. Young sharks do have a fighting chance, though, as they are born with a full set of teeth and the ability to swim.

white shark

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Marine life is rather intriguing considering the sizes, shapes and colors of the varied species of fish. Amongst all of them, one of the most dreaded is the entire range of shark species. They are dreaded because of their violent temperament. They do not appreciate human beings swimming into their domain.

One species of the shark clan is the great white shark that swims around the coastal regions of the all the oceans. These sharks are also known as white pointer, white death, as well as white shark. The scientific name of this shark species is 
Carcharodon carcharias.
The white sharks are the largest predatory fish in the world. It is the only species of the genus Carcharodon that has survived the ravages of time. The rest of the species have gone into extinction.

Introduction to Sharks

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Sharks are one of the most amazing animals on earth. They have lived in this planet for more than 450 million years and that single fact makes them incredible. They lived before land vertebrates populated earth and even before than many plants developed on continents.While ancient sharks were very different than those found today, the current shark species as we know have been around for 100 million years. This means that they were here when dinosaurs were around.

A record breaking evolutionary creature cannot be anything but amazing, with an anatomy which has been improved over those million years of evolution.
Here below there are some of the most popular Frequent Asked Questions about sharks, but the site will continue growing, therefore if you would like to receive a notification every time and article is added, please subscribe to our mailing list.

Facts That You Should Know About Sharks

When most people think of sharks, they automatically reference the man eating predators, however, there is more to this type of fish than meets the publics' eye. The facts about sharks, as well as the related concepts that are a part of them is one that can help to define this sea creature.

Evolution of Sharks

Sharks are known to be an ancient creature, with fossils from some of the oldest sharks dating back as far as 450 million years. Before they could swim, they were known to crawl on land, eventually merging into the sea in order to move more effectively. Their evolution is one that has led to several species, sizes and structures that are linked to the pre-historic animal.

From the evolution of sharks,
 are also various kinds of these animals that exist. These are divided according to the shapes and features that are present in the animal. Features such as the fin, spine, nose and body shape help to determine the type of shark that is seen. For example, a white shark will have their mouth behind their eyes and will have a fin towards the front and towards the back. An angel shark, on the other hand, will have several fins that are along the spine as well as a flat nose with the mouth underneath. 

Shark Behavior

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Not only do the evolutionary features define the look of a shark, but also determine how they survive in the wild. Not all sharks will constantly be searching in a particular area of the ocean for their food. There are three general types of sharks that will move according to the form and function of their body. This includes some sharks that will move at the upper part of the ocean and will move at a slow pace, sharks that will be towards the middle of the ocean and will have a powerful force while swimming and sharks that stay at the bottom of the ocean, moving slowly and finding their food on the ocean floor.

With the various areas that sharks live, are also specific ways of living. Depending on the type of shark, the fish will either swim in groups or on their own. This is dependent on the way that they have found it is best to survive, specifically with the hunting skills that they acquired. 

The habitat of sharks not only takes place in different levels of the ocean, but also is restricted to different areas. This is based on the activities that are needed, whether they need fresh or salt water, seasonal changes that are needed and temperature of the ocean. Typically, most sharks will be based around the warmer parts of the ocean, ranging from the central regions of the Americas to places around the tips of Africa, Australia and India. There are also cold water sharks that will be further south or north in the ocean.


Shark Myths De-Mystified

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In modern times, the shark is known as a predator that will attack at the sight of blood. However, this myth of sharks is not necessarily accurate. In fact, shark attacks were less than 20 a year in the late 1800s. It has not been until the last two decades that shark attacks have become a more known factor in various areas of the globe.

It has been found that these attacks are not because sharks are typical predators. Typically, they will occur because there is a territorial threat or disturbance that occurs in the sharks inhabited area. At other times, these attacks will be ones that are provoked by humans, causing the shark to try to keep a safe ground. Things such as spear fishing and eco-tourism are contributions to sharks that feel the need to attack. Even among these attacks, it is only certain species that will feel a threat and will respond. Others will simply move into a different territory.

Through this predator fish is an evolution that has led to a specific lifestyle with sharks. In every area of the ocean is a type of shark that has moved into their living space, becoming one of the most known ocean dwelling creatures.


Facts about Tiger Sharks

Tiger sharks are very large and so they require a considerable amount of wide open space. They enjoy warm water so they are found in the tropic areas of the world as well as some sub tropic locations. The Atlantic ocean is where most of them have been recognized.

You can find many of them around the islands of Hawaii. They tend to hang out around the surface of the water so they are often spotted easily. In recent years they have also been spotted around the waters of both New Zealand and Japan.


Facts about Tiger Sharks Tiger sharks have been recorded with the most attacks on humans only behind the great white. They are very aggressive by nature and will stop at nothing to complete a hunt for food. They will attack when they feel they are in danger which is why they are known to attack humans.

Eating Habits of Tiger Sharks

A tiger shark will eat any type of fish, shark, animal, and small entity it can find in the water. They are very curious by nature and will taste anything that comes their way. The stomachs of tiger sharks have been found with some very unique items inside of them. This includes pieces of boats and ships, jewelry, clothing, tires, books, and more. If it finds its way into the water there is a good chance a tiger shark is going to dine on it.

Tiger sharks tend to have a very big appetite but they will also eat when they aren’t hungry just because they see something around them that they enjoy. The variation in weight has to do with how much food is readily available in the area where they live.



Anatomy of a Tiger Shark

They can grow to be about 14 feet in length with an average of 12 feet. They can vary in weight from 850 pounds to approximately 2,000 pounds. It gets its name due to the stripes found on it that resemble those on a tiger. Each one of the tiger sharks will have stripes that are different in color, design, and size. You will also notice that their dorsal fins are very close to the tail.

Reproduction of Tiger Sharks

Female tiger sharks give birth to live young. The pups remain inside of their mother for up to 16 months with 14 months being the average. They can give birth to anywhere from 10 to 80 pups at a time. They will be on their own from the second they are born. Females are ready to reproduce when they are about 4 years of age. Males are ready when they are 5-6 years of age.


What the Future has in Store for Tiger Sharks

Since tiger sharks are known for attacking people they are often killed. Since they live in shallow water they are easy for hunters to spot. Others are killed by ships and boats as they may be residing in river areas since they don’t require deep waters. They are continually hunted in Hawaii in order to keep tourists from being afraid to enter the waters.

They are also hunted to use for various types of products we consume. For example they are used to make Vitamin A. In some locations the flesh of the tiger shark is used for meat. They don’t seem to be in danger of a dwindling population though even in spite of such hunting efforts.


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