The fastest shark in the ocean has a maximum speed of 80 kph. The slowest moves at less than one kph, frozen into sluggishness by the frigid waters it frequents. The consensus is that the shortfin mako is the fastest shark in the world, but there’s little evidence to back up such claims. There has … Read more
Are sharks vertebrates or invertebrates? Even though they don’t have any bones in their bodies, sharks are classified as vertebrates. They belong to the class Vertebrata, a subphylum that includes five different classes – amphibians, birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles. Although the shark’s skeleton is made of cartilage, rather than bone, it has a cartilaginous … Read more
Sharks have a bad reputation. Each week, another shark attack sneaks into the headlines, leaving us with images of terrifying blood-thirsty marine monsters that hunt down unsuspecting humans. This picture is far from reality. Even the most dangerous shark species attack infrequently, and others are so friendly they behave more like puppies than predators! Far … Read more
Are sharks older than trees? Both sharks and trees have been around for millions of years, but it might surprise you to know that sharks are even older than our forest friends. Fossil evidence shows that the earliest sharks evolved in the Late Ordovician period, around 450 million years ago. By comparison, trees are relatively … Read more
Majestic, intelligent, fascinating, and above all, oddly shaped heads! When you think of a hammerhead shark, many words might spring to mind, but how much do you really know about them? We’re going to start by answering what is a hammerhead shark with some basics. Then, we will let you in on some fascinating hammerhead … Read more
When you think about sharks, the most likely images that spring to mind are probably a dorsal fin breaking the surface and perhaps a large mouth filled with teeth. Sharks have a fearsome reputation as the most powerful creatures in the ocean, so they must have a tough skeleton underneath their skin, right? In fact, the … Read more
The bull shark is one of the most dangerous shark species in the world. Also known as the Zambezi and the Lake Nicaragua shark, it’s also one of the most versatile. It is often found in the murky waters of estuaries and river mouths and frequently comes into contact with humans. Because of this proximity, … Read more
Sharks seem almost indestructible. They’re highly disease-resistant, and some species, like the Greenland shark, live for hundreds of years. So how do sharks die? Sharks are not invincible, however, and die just like any other living thing. Sure, the great white heals quickly and effectively and has a mechanism that protects it against “autoimmune disease … Read more
Hammerhead sharks have to be one of the strangest creatures found in the ocean. While their bodies look pretty normal, their hammer-shaped heads look like they could come from science fiction or a child’s imagination. There are nine types of hammerhead sharks described by modern marine taxonomists, which makes this one of the smallest shark … Read more
The octopus is one of the most fascinating creatures to inhabit our oceans, while many consider sharks the most fearsome. With their terrible reputation, it probably won’t be a surprise for you to learn that the answer to the question “do sharks eat octopus” is yes, some do. Octopuses are an intelligent animal so are … Read more