Shark talk
Why do so many people think sharks are mean?
Since the 1916 shark attacks of the New Jersey shore, the media has taken every opportunity to portray sharks as dangerous man-eaters that should be feared and detested. The movie Jaws, based on true events from the 1916 attacks, sparked an everlasting terror in humans that still exists today.
Have you ever touched a shark? What did it feel like?
Have you ever touched sandpaper before? That’s what a shark feels like. The nurse shark has really rough skin, and was commonly used by fishermen as sandpaper! If you are ever lucky enough to see or even touch a shark, make sure to move your hand in one direction from head to tail. This way, the shark appears smooth, or almost rubbery. If you start from the tail to the head, small little microscopic teeth—called dermal denticles—can actually scrape your hand.
Porbeagle shark, Canada (c)naturepl.com/Doug Perrine/WWF
What’s your favourite kind of shark—and why?
The great hammerhead shark, a solitary shark that roams both the open ocean and coastal waters and is, by far, one of the most advanced sharks in the ocean. Equipped with a large head, called a cephalofoil, these sharks search the sand for their favorite food: stingrays. Similar to someone looking for treasure on the beach, hammerheads swing their head from left to right using their electromagnetic senses to pinpoint even the faintest signal of prey. Hammerhead sharks are commonly feared by humans, due to their strange shape, but they have never been implicated in a human attack before. This species is mostly sought after for its large dorsal fin, which is used in shark fin soup. As a result, this amazing species has declined by 90% in some areas.
Do sharks sleep with their eyes closed?
Sharks don’t have any eyelids like we do, so when they rest, their eyes stay open. Also, sharks don’t actually sleep; rather they have “resting” stages. Some species, such as the lemon shark, simply rest on the sandy bottom, pump water over their gills, and take a break. Others are ram ventilators (a shark that must keep swimming to stay alive) and will rest while swimming at a slower pace.
Do sharks ever get cold?
Most species of sharks are cold-blooded, which means they survive in only a short range of temperatures. For example, black tip reef sharks—a species found in warm subtropical waters— would not survive in the cold waters of the Arctic. However, some sharks, such as the great white, are warm-blooded and can actually regulate their body temperature to suit the surrounding water temperature. These sharks can increase their body temperature by 13 degrees and live in both cold and warm oceans.
If you could be any kind of sea creature, what would it be?
Probably a whale shark. They act like a whale, gracefully swimming through the ocean in search of plankton, yet they are the largest shark and fish in the ocean. They are considered gentle giants that prefer the warm crystal clear waters of places like Mexico, Australia and Florida and can live up to 70 years. Not such a bad life!
