Although people’s perspective of sharks can vary greatly, from fearing them to worshipping them, relatively little is known about these fascinating fish. This has led marine experts to study them in depth to gain a better understanding of their anatomy, history, behaviour and more.
If you have a budding marine biologist at home, then we welcome you to join us as we count down some of the most Jaws-dropping facts about sharks, from A to Z. By the end, you’ll be swimming in exciting information on everything from the different shark species to their characteristics!
Fun facts about sharks!
A – All sharks don’t have bones
Sharks have an interesting anatomy. They don’t have bones, instead their skeletons are made of cartilage – the same flexible tissue that makes up our noses and ears! As they have a spine, they’re still classed as vertebrates, even though it is made of cartilage and not bone. Most sharks are also cold-blooded, meaning they regulate their body temperature from the water around them.
B – Bamboo sharks are also known as carpet sharks
Where do they get this nickname? Bamboo sharks, including Arabian bamboo sharks & brown banded bamboo sharks, are a group of small, bottom-dwelling sharks belonging to the Hemiscylliidae family whose markings resemble an ornate, patterned carpet. Hence the name!
C – Collectively, sharks are referred to as a ‘shiver’
This collective term for sharks is normally used when they gather to migrate or feed and comes from the old English word ‘shive’, meaning a slice. This refers to the way they move through the water.
D – Dwarf lantern sharks are the smallest species
The dwarf lantern shark (Etmopterus perryi) is a type of dogfish that only grows up to 20cm long, making them the smallest shark species in the world. They aren’t a common species, though, and have only been spotted on the upper continental slopes in Colombia and Venezuela.
E – Ecosystems around the world rely heavily on sharks
Sharks are apex predators, and their role at the top of the food chain means their eating behaviours can indicate the health of an ecosystem. They also help keep the balance by feeding on a diverse range of prey. Without them, there would be an imbalance of species, and this could affect ecosystems.
F – First dorsal fins are located at the top of a shark’s back
The first dorsal fin is located on the top of a shark’s back. It’s used to keep a shark from rolling onto its back and helps them make sharp turns even when they’re moving quickly.
G – Greenland sharks can live up to 400 years
Also known as a gurry shark or grey shark, these sharks have the longest known lifespan of all vertebrate species on the planet and can live for up to four centuries! Not only do they live longer lives, but they also move slower than any other shark species.
H – Hammerhead sharks are one of the few animals that can sunburn
With their distinctive head shape, you may well know what a hammerhead shark looks like. But what you might not know is that they’re one of the very few animals that can tan from sun exposure.
I – Sharks are incredibly intelligent creatures
Sharks have great eyesight and an excellent sense of smell, alongside being highly intelligent creatures. They will often ‘test bite’ an object to see if it’s a food source and spew it out of their mouths if they don’t like it – similar to the behaviour of human toddlers. Hammerhead sharks, in particular, have very wide-set eyes, giving them a better field of vision than other shark species.
J – Jaguar catsharks are a relatively recently discovered species
Sharks might be an old species, but that doesn’t mean we’ve found all the different variations. The jaguar catshark found in the Galapagos Islands is the perfect example since it was only discovered for the first time in 2012.
K – Krill and other plankton are part of sharks’ diets
Although sharks are at the top of the food chain, smaller prey such as krill and shrimp make up part of their diet alongside larger creatures, like other sharks and seals.
L – Largest shark is the whale shark
The whale shark is not only the largest shark species ever recorded, but it’s also the biggest fish known to inhabit our waters and can dive deeper than any other marine shark. One was measured down to a depth of almost 2km!
M – Mermaid purses are empty shark egg cases
Some sharks, including hammerhead and mako sharks, give birth to live young, while others, such as bamboo and wobbegong shark species, lay eggs which hatch. Egg cases from those that lay eggs will often wash ashore on beaches, gaining the nickname mermaid purses. You can find Mermaid purses on coastlines surrounding the UK. If you need help identifying egg cases, you can take part in The Shark Trust’s Great Eggcase Hunt, and contribute to important research regarding shark, ray, and skate populations in our UK waters.
N – Nictitating membranes are located on some sharks’ eyes to protect their vision
Also referred to as a third eyelid, some shark species have nictitating membranes to protect the eyes from injury and debris. They have some vision through this membrane to make sure they’re safe from predators or other dangers when feeding or hunting.
O – Oceans are the natural home of sharks
Sharks swim in every ocean of the world, from tropical waters to the Arctic Circle and along nearly every coastline of every continent. Some sharks, like the bull huss, can swim between brackish and freshwater environments. Brackish water is saltier than freshwater but not as salty as freshwater, which means these sharks are adapted to living in both conditions.
P – ‘Pup’ is the name for baby sharks
A baby shark is called a pup, and while there are different ways pups come into this world, they’re all born ready to take care of themselves independently.
Q – The quickest shark is the shortfin mako shark
Spending most of its time in tropical and warm ocean habitats, this super strong and fast species has been known to reach a top speed of up to 46mph. They often swim at around 30mph, making them excellent at catching their prey and protecting themselves from predators.
R – Records show that sharks have been on Earth for millions of years
Scientists have discovered that sharks could have been swimming around before the dinosaurs existed and might even be older than our most ancient trees! Sharks were known to exist around 450 million years ago, making them one of the planet’s oldest living species.
S – Sand tiger sharks are the only shark species that come up to the surface to gulp for air
The sand tiger shark is the only shark known to come to the water’s surface to gulp air. It’s believed that this helps them stay buoyant and afloat when hunting for prey, allowing them to sneak up when they least expect an attack!
T – Teeth galore!
Did you know that sharks can have up to 30,000 teeth throughout their lifetime? That’s right! They can grow and lose thousands of tiny, sharp teeth.
U – UK is home to some shark species
You might not know that around 40 shark species call the waters around the UK their home. From basking sharks to the Greenland shark, these are some of the most unique since they can regulate their body temperature in colder waters.
V – Sharks are classed as vertebrates
By counting the rings on a shark’s cartilage backbone, you can roughly gauge its age. This is the same as very old trees! We calculate the age of trees in the same way – by counting the growth rings!
W – Wobbegong sharks are experts at camouflage
This species is an expert at blending in with the background to keep them safe from predators. Here at Blue Planet Aquarium, we’re proud to house two species of these carpet sharks. Visitors can meet our spotted wobbegong and western wobbegong in the tropical-themed Ocean Exhibit.
X – Experiment
Sharks’ immune systems are thought to hold the key to fighting tumours and preventing heart disease, which is why they’re often studied to help cure human ailments.
Y – Sharks being attracted to the colour yellow is a myth
Research has helped bust the myth that sharks are attracted to the colour yellow. In fact, scientists believe that sharks are probably completely colour-blind.
Z – Zebra sharks go through an amazing transformation in their appearance
The zebra shark is possibly one of the most beautiful sharks in the world. It goes through an amazing transformation from juvenile shark to adult, which also makes it one of the most fascinating species. They only have their zebra-like stripes when they’re younger and because these fade so much in adulthood, scientists believed they were two separate species until 1823!
Our exhibits at Blue Planet Aquarium are filled with incredible shark species. Come along and see them swimming around on your next visit and find out all about our one-of-a-kind shark dive experiences available for kids and adults!