22 Most Amazing Shark Facts

Sharks are the deadliest sea creature. They are fast, furious, and fantastic. Sharks are predators. Most shark species are known to be skilled hunters. Sharks are of many different sizes and species. Different species measures from over 15 meters to 20 centimeters. Sharks are found on oceans and seas all over the world. Most sharks are mainly marine, few species are found in freshwater.

Sharks are mostly cylindrical in shape. Sharks have tapered edges. These physical characteristics make them affluent swimmers. Sharks have a distinctive skin color that allows them to camouflage in the seawater. The dorsal side has a darker shade that blends with the seawater when seen from above. The ventral side is brighter in color what blends with the sunlight when seen from underneath. The shark has rows of teeth on each jaw. They have one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom. The tail of a shark is sleek and strong. All these physical traits make them unbeatable under the water. Different species of sharks reproduce in different ways.

Sharks are one of the most popular animals. They share a long relationship with the human. We see sharks as the deadliest monsters of the seas In movies like Jaws and Deep Blue Sea. Shark fins are attributed in many cartoons as danger signals in ocean scenes. There are mentions of sharks in different mythologies. Though there are records of attacks, sharks usually don't hunt or attack a human. There are many magnificent facts about sharks. These are some little known shark facts:

Sharks are one of the oldest extant animals. Archeological reports suggest that modern sharks appeared around 420 million years ago. They prepared before any vertebrates appeared on Earth.

Over 500 different species of sharks are discovered. Sharks are found in every kind of ocean habitat.

Whale sharks are known as the largest shark species. These massive sea monsters can grow up to 60 feet long. Whale sharks weigh up to 75,000 pounds. Whale sharks are most commonly found in Australia.

Dwarf lantern sharks are the smallest among all sharks. They grow up to a maximum known length of just 20 cm. These tiny sharks are seen only in Venezuela and Colombia.

The spiny dogfish is the most populous shark species. They are often seen in British Columbia and Northern America. As the populations of spiny dogfish are rapidly declining, the IUCN listed them as globally Vulnerable species.

The pocket shark is the rarest species of sharks. The species is also the newest identified shark species. The shark was found in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. In 2013 the pocket shark was officially identified. Mollisquama mississippiensis is the scientific name of pocket sharks.

Shortfin mako is the fastest swimming shark species. They can swim up to a speed of 74 kilometers per hour.

Bull sharks have 50 rows of teeth on each jaw. Each row of teeth has 7 teeth. The bull shark is known to have the highest number of teeth among all sharks.

Sharks can move both of their jaws. They have one of the strongest jaws on the animal planet.

Different shark species have different types of teeth. Some shark species like the whale shark don't use teeth in feeding.

Tiger sharks are reported to be most aggressive towards the human. In 2019 five fetal attacks by Tiger sharks are recorded.

The great white shark is known to be the largest predatory fish in the world. Great white sharks can grow up to 20 feet long.

The Megamouth shark got its name from the enormous mouth it has. These sharks have the largest mouth in the shark world. The mouth of a Megamouth shark can be over 1.3 meters wide.

Portuguese dogfish shark is known to live at a maximum depth of 3,700 meters. They are the deepest divers among all sharks.

Different sharks have different types of tails. The tail of a shark is known as the Caudal fin. Thresher shark has the largest caudal fin among all sharks. The caudal fin is almost as long as its body in a Thresher shark.

Sharks have large livers. The liver itself contains 30% of a shark's body mass. The stomach of a shark is J-shaped.

The skin of a shark is covered with dermal denticles. For these denticles, the skin of a shark feels like sandpaper.

Sharks don't have bones. They grow cartilaginous skeleton instead of a bone skeleton.

The Swell shark can expand its body approximately double its regular size by swallowing water. The Swell shark can expand its body approximately double its regular size by swallowing water. It works as a defense mechanism for them.

Kamohoali'i is a shark god from the Hawaiian myth. She is a human shark who helped humans escaping from shark attacks.

There are mentions of sharks in greek mythology. Ancient islanders believed in a shark god that safeguards the sailors.

The Royal Navy Helicopter Display Team was known as The Sharks. The "Sharks" were established in 1975 and was disbanded in 1992.

Sharks are one of the most important parts of the naval ecosystem. Though still seen in most of the marine habitats, many shark species are declining rapidly. According to IUCN, at least 14 shark species are endangered. 12 more species are marked as critically endangered. Information suggests that the population of some species declined 90% over the past few decades. July 14th is taken as Shark Awareness Day. The day was introduced to create more awareness about the threats we make for sharks and the threats we face from sharks. These are all we have today on sharks. Thanks for reading.