For most people, their fear of sharks comes from being bitten by the animal’s sharp teeth. But did you know that certain species have evolved the ability to deliver a painful poison? The most well-known example of a venomous shark, the spiny dogfish, has two venom-producing spines, one in front of each dorsal fin. If … Read more
Sharks play a vital role in maintaining the balance of our marine ecosystems, but reports from the International Union for Conservation of Nature suggest that balance is in jeopardy. With over 300 species of sharks and rays threatened with extinction, the repercussions for our oceans could be devastating. Some shark species have already disappeared, like … Read more
The blue shark is one of the most beautiful and graceful species in our oceans. Sadly, their global population has declined dramatically over recent years, with the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) finding that “the North Atlantic and North Pacific population is decreasing by more than 5% each year.” This highly migratory species is … Read more
The bonnethead shark lives well in captivity, which has given researchers plenty of opportunity to learn more about it. The smallest of the nine hammerhead species, the bonnethead has a distinct appearance. Not only is it small, but its head is smooth and spade-like and doesn’t really resemble a hammer at all. It’s not only … Read more
Thresher sharks are big, powerful, and very fast, but they aren’t species we should necessarily fear. Although they’re certainly large enough to hurt us, they generally appear too timid to try. There’s only been one recorded attack by a thresher shark, and that occurred after someone had grabbed its tail. Given that its tail is … Read more
Living in South Africa, I never knew what a sand tiger shark was, let alone what it looked like until I discovered that the ragged tooth and the sand tiger are one and the same. The South African name for the sand tiger is the spotted ragged-tooth, which sums up its appearance far better than … Read more
There are over 500 species of shark in our planet’s oceans, and nature has produced an astonishingly wide variety of these incredible creatures. Some are familiar to the general public, while others are rare, relatively unknown, and often especially strange and weird looking. Like many of the oddest-looking sea creatures, the incredible frilled shark spends … Read more
Blacktip reef sharks are elegant, eye-catching sharks that are abundant predators throughout the shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific. They aren’t the biggest or fastest sharks in the water, but that doesn’t stop them from performing incredible aerial performances. The blacktip is one of the few shark species known to jump out of the water, performing … Read more
The megamouth is the newest and most intriguing species of large shark to have been discovered in recent years. The first one was caught by accident in 1976; since then, there have only been a handful of sightings. The megamouth shark appears to be a rather solitary and elusive creature that occupies the ocean’s dark … Read more
Oceanic whitetip sharks are built for cruising great distances in the world’s tropical and subtropical oceans with streamlined bodies and long pectoral fins with distinctive white-colored ends. These pelagic sharks are generally solitary and spend almost all their time near the surface of deep water, looking, sensing, and smelling for food. The oceanic whitetip is … Read more