Hunters of the deep

Thirty-seven years ago on this day was released Jaws, the movie that created a niche for itself in the history of cinema. It was a trailblazer, which inspired several movies, none of which would match up to the awe it inspired in movie-lovers. Let’s learn more about the protagonist of the movie and his kin

Tiger Shark

This shark lives up to the fame of its cousin on land. Till date 88 incidents of attacks of humans have been reported and 27 killings at the jaws of tiger sharks. It can grow to lengths of over 5 metres (16 ft). It is also one of the fastest swimmers in the ocean, reaching up to top speeds of 53kmph.

Great White Shark

Also called the white death, this was the protagonist in the novel and the movie Jaws. This shark is the largest and the most dangerous specie of shark which explains why the white shark was picked to play lead. It grows to the length of 6 metres (20 ft) and weighs 2,268 kilogrammes (5,000 lb). Seals and larger fish make its prey. Swimmers and surfers are mistaken for its prey and hence the attacks.

Mako Shark

The short fin shark, aka the Mako shark, is known for its sharp and pointy nose. Mako sharks fall under the category of large mackerel sharks. Along with their closely related cousins – long fin sharks mako (Isurus paucus) — short fins are listed as some of the most dangerous shark species and the fastest: some have reported to reaching speeds of 60mph. Mako sharps were featured in the movie Deep Blue Sea.

Bull Shark

Expect a visit from this one if you happen to be going for a swim in warm waters, for that’s where a bull shark usually hang out. This predator, also known as the Zambesi shark (named after a river in Africa), Zambi or Nicaragua shark, has the ability to live in fresh water, too — that means ponds, rivers and lakes. It is called bull shark for stocky shape, broad, flat snout, and aggressive, unpredictable behaviour.

Blue Shark

Also called the ‘Wolves of the sea’, Blue sharks are found in deep waters in the world’s tropical oceans. They prefer cooler waters, but it is also known that they migrate thousands of kilometers. They mostly hunt smaller fish and squid, but they do not shy from making prey of humans.

Sharks with the looks

Goblin Shark

A deep-sea shark, the Goblin shark stands out with its unorthodox shape of its head. The long, trowel-shaped, beak-like rostrum or snout it used for detection of prey. Once it finds its prey, it suddenly protrudes its jaws, while using a tongue-like muscle to suck the victim into its sharp front teeth.

Hammerhead Shark

It’s a no-brainer why it is called so. The Hammerhead’s flattened and laterally extended snout has the eyes and the nostrils at each end. The purpose of the extension is to provide it greater stability and manoeuvrability while making sharp turns. The hammerhead shark has the best sense of smelling.

Cookiecutter shark

The cookiecutter shark is a small, rarely-seen dogfish shark. It derives its name from the mark it leaves after biting off chunks of flesh from larger fishes which includes other sharks. Note that the lower teeth are bigger and sharper than the upper ones, the latter is used to latch onto prey and the former for biting into the flesh and removing flesh with a circular motion.

Frilled shark

The frilled shark is sometimes called a living fossil, for the species has changed little since pre-historic times. It was thought to be extinct until modern sightings in Japan. It looks like an eel, as was reported at first sighting by some fishermen a giant eel with razor sharp teeth.

Shark Facts

• Sharks are strong, healthy creatures. No other living thing can take better care of itself than a shark can! Like humans, sharks are at the top of the food chain.
• Sharks never get cancer! Their cartilage is being studied with the hope of developing anti-cancer drugs.
• Sharks’ bodies are heavier than the sea, so if they stop moving they sink. If they want to stay afloat, they must keep moving!
• Sharks can smell one drop of blood in a million drops of water.
• Some sharks can lie on the bottom while actively pumping water over their gills, but their eyes remain open and actively follow divers.
• Baby sharks are born with sharp teeth and the ability hunt right from the start.
• The dwarf shark is as small as your hand, while the whale shark can be as large as a school bus!
• Sharks have been around for more than 300 million years! They were around before dinosaurs.
• Megalodon tooth with two great white shark teeth and with a ruler to see the size The 36cm computer-drawn ruler
• The largest shark teeth found belonged to a Carcharodon Magaloden shark and are 6 inches long. This shark is extinct and lived more than 4.5 million years ago.

Tags: Blue Shark, Bull Shark, Great White Shark, Mako Shark, sharks, Tiger Shark

Category: Science & Tech, Science & Tech News