How many species of sharks can you name off the top of your head? We know the big ones like great white sharks, great hammerheads and tiger sharks. But there are hundreds of species of sharks out there, some of which are found in places you might not expect.
Any time of the year is a good time to celebrate sharks, but in honor of Shark Week, we’re sharing some weird and wonderful sharks from all over the world.
Open ocean: Most of the sharks we know are the ones we encounter along the coast, like blacktips, bulls and bonnetheads. But there is a whole group of oceanic species who live all or part of their lives away from the coast, although some come closer to shore to eat or reproduce. Oceanic species include the bigeye thresher shark, whose tail can measure up to half its body length, and oceanic whitetip sharks, who (unsurprisingly) have white tips on their fins. Learn more about oceanic sharks with our fact sheets >>
Never miss an update!
Arctic: Icy cold waters might not seem like the ideal habitat for sharks, but some species are specially adapted to thrive in the Arctic. Although most sharks are cold-blooded, or ectothermic, some species like the porbeagle and salmon sharks have evolved special blood vessels that help keep their muscles warmer than the surrounding waters. Also found in the Arctic are Greenland sharks, which can live as long as 400 years. Learn more about sharks in the Arctic >>
Deep sea: The deep sea isn’t for everyone—it’s cold, dark and under a lot of pressure (literally). But the deep sea is home to some particularly strange-looking sharks, like the frilled shark that looks more like an eel than a traditional shark and can be found 5,000 feet below the surface. It’s also home to the ninja lanternsharks that are bioluminescent, meaning they glow in the dark. Learn about other sharks that glow in the dark >>
Can’t get enough fishy facts? Be sure to check out our Wildlife Fact sheets for more fun trivia about sharks, birds and other marine animals.
Stay sharky, everyone!
The post 3 Unexpected Places to Find Sharks appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
from Ocean Conservancy https://ift.tt/3k6x9L1 https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
No comments:
Post a Comment