LEARN ABOUT SHARKS

​Anatomy and appearance: There are over 500 different shark species and they are all unique. Learn what makes one shark species different from another. Identify unique characteristics such as the sharks shape, coloring, pattern or other physical differences by researching the sharks below.

 

Habitat: Sharks are found in just about every ocean habitat on the planet, even in the Arctic! Some sharks prefer cooler ocean habitats while others prefer the tropical regions closer to the equator. Find out where your favorite sharks live and what sharks you could find closer to home.

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Diet: The diet of a particular shark depends on what kind of dental structure they possess. The habitat that a certain shark controls will also determine what their prey may include. The diet of sharks can range from  whales and seals (mammals) to turtles (reptiles), fish, Octopus and squid (cephalopods) and shell fish (crustaceans).

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​​Population: Certain shark species can take decades to mature while others only take a few years . The population of sharks is determined by the rate at which sharks reach maturity and how often they reproduce. Some sharks lay eggs while others are born without hatching from external eggs. 

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Conservation: Nearly half of all shark species are Threatened by extinction while others are Near Threatened or Least Concerned as assessed by the IUCN. Each shark you explore below will detail their IUCN status. 

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Relationship to Humans: 97% Of all shark species are harmless. In fact all sharks are harmless unless you choose to enter enter their world. In which case sharks have to be respected and as humans, we should not interfere with their natural way of doing things. Unfortunately sometimes accidents do happen.