Shark Facts

Length
The largest shark is the whale shark which can grow to 60 feet long & the smallest shark species is the deepwater dogfish shark measuring just 8 inches.

Food
Normally, sharks eat alone, but sometimes one feeding shark attracts others. They swim up as quickly as possible and all begin to try to get a piece of the prey. They bite wildly at anything that gets in their way -- even each other. Oddly enough, the great white shark rarely partakes in feeding frenzies.

Life Span
Shark life spans range from 15 to 100 years old.

Reproduction
Baby sharks are called pups. Just like there are many types of sharks, there are also different ways that sharks come into the world. Sharks are born three ways: eggs are layed (like birds), eggs hatch inside the mother and then are born, or pup sharks grow inside the mother (like humans). Sharks can have from 1 to 100 babies at a time, depending on the type of shark. The ones with pups that grow inside the mother have fewer babies at a time than sharks that lay eggs outside the body. Sharks do not care for their babies after they are born, but they do search for a safe place to lay their eggs or give birth.

Colors
Sharks have a wide range of colors, from blue to gray, and white to sandy colored with a pink tint.

Habitat
Sharks can be found in salt water oceans all around the world. Two shark species can survive long periods in fresh water: the bull shark and the speartooth shark.

Interesting Facts
Some sharks have eyes similar to a cat. A mirror-like layer in their eyes allows them to see better in the water. This allows the shark to hunt in clear seas or murky water.

Some species of sharks can shed as many as 30,000 teeth in their lifetime. They can replace lost teeth in as little as 24 hours.

Dried shark skin was used in the past as sandpaper. In Germany and Japan, shark skin was used on sword handles for a non-slip grip.

Great White Sharks can go as long as three months without eating. Sharks have no bones. A shark's skeleton is made up of cartilage.

Some sharks must swim constantly to "breathe" oxygen from water passing through their gills. Other species can achieve this while stationary.

Sub Species
Over 440 shark species have been identified, but only about a dozen are considered particularly dangerous.