Megalodon

What on earth is a megalodon? Well, first off its not on earth anymore, and secondly it was a massive prehistoric shark that was 40 feet or longer. Some even say that it was 50-100 feet long. Scientist of course do not know for sure how long it was. Only hypothesis can be made judging from fossilized teeth and very few fossilized vertebra found. Because these teeth look very similar to that of a great white, it is thought that a megaldon was a great white shark, but 3 times bigger! These sharks have thought to eat whales, and because they are cold blooded they do not have to eat as much as humans do. Humans eat just a little over 2% of their body weight. Megalodon could open their mouths 6 feet wide and 7 feet high. It is argued that sharks lived 25 to 1.6 million years ago, and is still debated when the time of their extinction. So the question is, why blog about a extinct shark? To make a point. Sharks extinction has already happened and the whole world needs to open their eyes to see the fact that sharks are indeed disappearing. We all need to help protect these animals and protect them from facing the same fate as the meagalodon.

Tiger Sharks

Since when do tigers swim? Tiger sharks are a very intimidating shark. Tiger sharks get their name from the vertical strips found on their body's. Tiger shark rank up at the top with feared sharks, sitting next to the great white. Tigers have earned the name as man eaters, and swimming trash cans. Tiger sharks are different from other sharks because they have a near completely discerning palate and are not likely to swim away after attacking a human. Tiger sharks have very strong jaws and very sharp teeth that help crack turtle shells and clam shells. One tiger is famed for having a car tire inside its belly. Tigers will eat anything. Tigers are found in tropical waters and sub-tropical waters all across the globe. Large Tigers can grow to 20-25 feet and way more than 1900 pounds. These sharks are hunted for their fins, teeth, skin, and liver. Their liver contains high levels of vitamin A, which is produced into vitamin oil. Tiger sharks also unfortunately have a low reproduction rate, which makes shark fishing all the more dangerous for tigers. We really need to help preserve these dominate sharks, as well as all other sharks.

The GREAT White.

What is one of the most well known sharks? Say hello to the great white. These are truly massive beasts. Sharks have dated all the way back 350 million years ago. Great white sharks can be found in warmer waters, most commonly spotted in Australia and California. The famous jumping white sharks are found off the coast of Africa, where they attack their prey from the bottom and in result fly out of the air. Great white sharks love to eat seals and sometimes even small toothed whales, which is why so many surfers are mistaken for a seal. Great white sharks hold the title of being the largest predatory marine animal. Great whites are between 12-16 feet long and can grow up to 19-21 feet. Great whites are so feared that the are often misunderstood. More people are killed by dogs in the U.S than great whites, also you are more likely to get stung by a bee than attacked by a shark. Theses great aquatic animals are taking heavy losses. It is very clear that numbers have decreased over the years, and these animals have been placed under the endangered species list in California. While these animals may ignite fear, we must be careful of ridding the world of these great animals.

The Bull Shark

Why decided to blog about the bull shark? Bull sharks are the most dangerous sharks to humans. Majority of shark attacking humans can be thanks to the bull shark. Bull sharks are very, very, dangerous. Bull sharks are responsible for sixty-nine unprovoked shark attacks, which seven-teen ended fatally. Bull sharks get their name from their snout. Bull sharks snouts are wider than their body's are. A interesting fact is that female bull sharks actually get bigger than the males. Bull sharks also hold the pleasure of having many rows of teeth, which make ripping a victim to shreds much easier. Bull sharks are also known for being a living, no, swimming trash cans. Bull sharks will eat almost anything from turtles to other sharks. The problem with bull sharks is that they swim close to shore, and live in fresh water. Bull sharks have been found 1,750 miles up the Mississippi river. Bull sharks are also a pale or dark color of grey or black, which makes them very hard to see. Bull sharks have also been targeted in southeastern U.S.A and South Africa. Bull sharks may be feared by humans, but they are essential to a healthy Eco system.

When fear becomes reality; Part 2

What other senses do sharks hold? Sharks also have a great power to sense electricity from an animal or fish. Sharks have a jelly filled substance in their heads called, ampullae of Lorenzini which allows them to sense the small amount of electricity in every living animal. It can detect one drop of blood in a million drops of water (25 gallons or 100 liters) and can smell blood 0.25 mile (0.4 km) away. If you have a spot that is bleeding, it would be best to stay out of the water. Sharks are also more likely to attack a single prey, then to attack a group. Staying in groups can really help reduce your chances. Another place people mistake to be "shark free" is sandbars. Sand bars are shallow, but that does not mean you wont run into a shark. Sandbars are in the middle of deeper water, which can be dangerous. Your vision is limited and most times you wont be able to see what is underneath you. One major mistake or assumption is sharks bite you because they know you will be a tasty treat. Wrong. Sharks don't know what everything tastes like. Sharks, just like humans, taste things to see what they taste like. Sharks will reject anything outside of their ordinary diet. Check out this great sight that shows all of sharks finely tuned senses.

When fear becomes reality; Part 1

What should you do if you ever encounter a shark? I can tell you right now, don't freak out! Sharks are very unique creatures, trained to look for different signs when finding prey. Sharks have been around for millions of years dating back to the dinosaur age. They have had a VERY long time to adapt and become one of the greatest hunting machines alive. Here are some things you should know when swimming in the ocean. Sharks hunt around early morning, or sunrise, and late at night, sunset. Just because it is dark and you cant see anything, don't assume that you are safe. Sharks have excellent eye sight, and as a added bonus they have color eyesight. One major thing is sharks can see very well in murky water. Sharks are not like regular animals. They do not always rely on their eyes. Sharks have other incredible senses. Sharks use sounds to find their next pray. They listen for the sound of splashing, which to them, sounds like a helpless fish or turtle. Sharks also can hear low pitched sounds far better than humans can. Studies suggest that sharks can hear these low pitched sounds from miles away, which help them track down their prey.

shark fin soup disaster

Shark fin soup? What in good god is that? Well its a soup, obviously, devoured mostly in Asia, a large part in china, where it is a huge hit, and considered a delicacy only rich can afford. Soup is very tasty don't get me wrong, but shark fin soup is causing a huge problem throughout the world today. It is leaving almost irreplaceable effects on the eco system in oceans everywhere. With shark fin soup considered a delicacy and highly looked for, people see the need to over-hunt for sharks precious fins. With the middle class taking on the role of becoming the hunter, the out come is catastrophic. When you have i massive amount of people hunting a very limited and scarce amount of sharks, who are for the most part defenseless against man, your going to see numbers sky rocket down. Whats even worse is the soup its self!! Shark fin has no taste what so ever, it just holds a unique texture and goes for a outrageous price. CNN website gives great information about the problems with hunting sharks and their fins. Cocos Island is a shark heaven for fishermen. It holds the greatest amounts of sharks possibly in the whole world with all different species flocking to the island. Cocos Island tries to protect sharks by declaring no boat is allowed with in three miles of the island, unfortunately this rule is ignored all the time. Fishermen often go not even a mile away from the islands shore. With rules ignored and some places who don't even try to protect sharks, you can forget about sharks slowly recovering from the damages of soup.

What is shark hunting? It contains many different things. Its hunting sharks for their prized fins, teeth, meet for eating, and also just for the pure fun of the “sport.” Like any type of animal hunting, we are seeing that shark numbers are decreasing, and not in any comfortable rate. Sharks are becoming fewer and fewer. I found this great sight while looking for what other people had to say about shark hunting online. This site really gives you a better look at the effects that shark hunting has on the eco system. Ransom Myers from Dalhousie University, Halifax studied the effects of shark hunting and the disappearance of the great sharks living on the American Eastern Seaboard. Not to my surprise, he found several shark species have almost vanished since 1972. Vanished! These species include the bull shark, dusky and smooth hammerhead shark. Sharks not only have the job of being the top predator in the ocean, they also carry an unusually different job as well. Sharks provide protection for the animals at the bottom of the food chain by eating the mid-level predators. This prevents these lesser predators from whipping out the bottom level animals such as small fish and invertebrates. Shark fins also drive up the disappearance level as well. In China, shark fin soup is considered a delicacy, even though shark fin has no taste. The main purpose is to provide a different texture. But here’s the problem. China is a BIG country. They have many people who love to snack on the “delicacy.” So, in order to keep up with the demand, China has boats surf the seas looking for any type of shark they can find, neglecting age, gender, and type. I love sharks; I am very worried that sharks might be the next animals on the extinct list, right beside their long gone brother the Megladon.