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Sunday, April 13, 2008

Shark Facts

Sharks are fish. However, they do not have bones like other fish. Their skeleton is made of cartilage. This is the same bendable material that is in your ears! They also do not have a swim bladder, the air filled balloon-like organ that keeps most fish upright. Sharks have gill slits but no gill-cover, which is common to most bony fish. Because they have no swim bladder to keep them buoyant, sharks sink when not swimming. Shark's bodies are heavier than water and most sharks are constantly on the move. By moving forward with their mouths open, sharks move water across their gills for breathing. The larger species produce live young that are fully formed, miniature versions of their parents. Mother sharks offer no food or protection for their young. Young sharks do have a fighting chance, though, as they are born with a full set of teeth and the ability to swim.. The list of amazing and funny facts about different kind of sharks are given below:

* The Whalefish Shark is the largest fish in the ocean. It can reach up to 50 feet and weigh about 30 tons. The whalefish eats plankton. It swims in warm waters near the equator. It filters meals as it swims with its mouth open. It is not threat to humans
* Just as humans rule the land, sharks rule the sea! Many people fear sharks, because they hear stories about sharks killing and eating humans. Actually, most sharks are not dangerous!
* Sharks never get cancer! Their cartilage is used in being studied with the hope of developing anti-cancer drugs.
* The dwarf shark is as small as your hand, while the whale shark can be as large as a school bus!
* A shark may grow and use over 20,000 teeth in its lifetime!
* Sharks never run out of teeth. If one is lost, another spins forward from the rows and rows of backup teeth.
* Sharks even eat other sharks. For example, a tiger shark might eat a bull shark, a bull shark might eat a blacktip shark and a blacktip shark might eat a dogfish shark!
* The whale shark is up to 46 feet (14 m), weighing up to 15 tons. The average size is 25 feet (7.6 m) long It is the largest fish in the world. Females are larger than males (like most sharks).
* It has been estimated that whale sharks may live up to 100 - 150 years.
* A shark's hunger can be satisfied with one good meal. The meal can last a long time because a shark uses little energy to swim. Some sharks hold food in their stomachs without it being digested. If they eat a big meal, it can last three or more months!
* A shark's hunger can be satisfied with one good meal. The meal can last a long time because a shark uses little energy to swim. Some sharks hold food in their stomachs without it being digested. If they eat a big meal, it can last three or more months!
* Sharks have existed for over 350 million years. They evolved over 100 million years before the dinosaurs did. This was long before people evolved.

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