Sharks
Main Information
Sharks have been lurking around this very planet for over 400 million years! That is even longer than the start of the dinosaurs. The sharks belong to a group of fish called Chondrichthyes. Many people fear sharks greatly, but sharks seem to fear humans more.
Shark Teeth
Sharks have the most powerful jaws on Earth. Unlike most animals, where only the bottom jaws are able to move, both the upper and the lower jaws of a shark can be moved. When a shark bites, into the prey with its upper jaw, only after it bites with its lower jaw. Different types of sharks have different kinds of teeth. You can tell when a shark is carnivorous if its teeth are sharp and pointy. A shark never runs out of teeth. If they break one, they regrow more from their rows of teeth that they have inside.
Diet and Eating Habits
Sharks normally tend to eat alone, but sometimes, other sharks see one eating and join the feast. When a shark finds food, it swims quickly to it and bites big chunks off or swallows it whole. Sharks bite wildly at anything in their way, even other sharks. Most sharks are carnivores. They eat fish, seals dolphins, turtles, seagulls, and sometimes other sharks. The skeleton of a carnivorous shark is made of cartilage, instead of bones. That gives them extra flexibility to bend and catch their prey. Their skin is made of strong, hard denticles, not ordinary fish scales, which gives them protection from injuries while hunting. But other sharks are harmless. The most harmless sharks tend to be the largest of the species, for example, the basking shark, whale shark, and the megamouth shark. They eat plankton and other shrimp-like creatures. To get these tiny creatures into their mouth, they swim forward with their mouth wide open
Danger from Sharks
Are sharks really dangerous? The most dangerous sharks are the Great White Shark, Mako Shark, Tiger Shark, and the Hammerhead Shark. Sharks attack about 100 sharks a year, but only 10 of those include the death of humans. But from the shark's point of view, humans are a threat to them. People kill thousands of sharks a year for many reasons, including food and just as a sport. Sharks are not too much of a danger to humans, but humans are a big danger to them.
Shark Babies
Sharks are born in 3 different ways.
- The mothers lay eggs and the babies hatch.
- The eggs hatch inside the mother and the babies come out.
- The babies grow inside the mother.