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Shark myths and facts

• Updated 17/02/22
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1. sharks are man-eating, blood-thirsty creatures. false ..

Sharks do not naturally hunt humans, in fact, according to the American Museum of Natural History, over 75% of all shark species will almost never encounter a human being and/or are incapable of consuming a human. Most occurrences of a shark attack are due to poor water visibility or curiosity rather than predatory intentions, hence why shark bites are much more common than fatalities. While it is extremely rare attacks can occur.

According to the International Shark Attack File , in 2019 there were only 64 unprovoked attacks worldwide and 41 provoked attacks.

● ‘Unprovoked attacks’ are determined as incidents in which an attack on a live human occurs in the shark’s natural habitat with no human incitement.

● ‘Provoked attacks’ are defined as when a human initiates interaction with a shark in some way. For example, people feeding sharks, spear-fishers, and divers trying to touch the sharks.

Additionally, the idea that sharks jump out of the water to knock people off their boats is also a myth perpetuated by movies like ‘Jaws’, which largely propelled the killer-shark concept. Whilst some sharks are capable of leaping into the air, the purpose of this is to capture prey.

2. You are more likely to be struck by lightning, or killed in a car accident than attacked by a shark. True .

In Australia, lightning is one of the most commonly encountered and dangerous weather hazards. Five to ten deaths and over one hundred serious injuries are estimated to be caused by lightning every year. Comparatively, there were only 11 unprovoked shark attacks recorded in Australia throughout 2019.

In fact, there are many other animals or common everyday activities that are much more likely to attack and/or kill you than a shark, including:

● The Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded that the most common animal related deaths that occured between 2008 - 2017 were horses, cows, and other “animal transport” with 77 recorded instances.

● Sharks and other marine animals came third on this list - with only a combined total of 26 related-deaths. However, the International Shark Attack File further revealed that there were only 11 recorded unprovoked shark attacks in Australia in 2019.

● Dogs were only fifth on the list, two behind sharks - with 22 recorded related-deaths.

● According to the Global Shark Attack File, mosquitos - through carrying and transmitting diseases - kill more people in one day than sharks have killed over the last 100 years worldwide.

● The Australian Government released their Road Safety Statistics which recorded 1,188 road deaths through 2019.

3. Sharks are the ultimate and unsurpassed predator. False .

The shark is an apex predator within their marine ecosystem – this means they sit at the top of the food chain and have no, or very few, natural predators. However, this doesn’t mean they are invincible. The greatest threat to sharks is humans! Due to illegal and unregulated fishing and being killed for their fins, shark populations are in rapid decline. The Australian Museum has found that wildlife trafficking, including ivory, rhino horns, live parrots, pangolin scales, and shark fins, is one of the world’s largest illicit transnational trades.

Shark fin soup is a key cause for this illegal trading as it has been considered a delicacy in Asian countries since the imperial Song Dynasty, 960 – 1279 C.E. It is believed to have been introduced to display the emperor’s power and wealth and now symbolises hospitality, prestige, and good fortune.. This demand for the soup has led to the death of more than 73 million sharks every year. The process involves slicing off a shark’s fin while at sea and discarding the remainder of the body back into the ocean. Whilst the shark is often still alive, without the fin they are unable to swim effectively and either die of suffocation at the bottom of the sea or are slowly eaten away by other predators.

Dr John Paxton, a senior fellow in Ichthyology at the Australian Museum, states that, “A combination of relatively late maturity and low reproductive rates means that sharks are unable to replace depleted numbers”.

4. Shark nets eliminate any chance of being bitten by a shark. False .

Shark mesh nets were introduced to beaches in New South Wales in 1937 with the intention of acting as deterrents for sharks swimming near populated beaches. However, Deakin University environmental science professor Laurie Laurenson claimed that an analysis of 50 years of data on shark mitigation programs show that the nets do very little. As the nets are set on the bottom of the sea floor and do not touch the surface, most sharks swim above or around the nets whilst the ones that are caught are often returning from the beaches.

Also, rather than averting the sharks, the nets are detrimental to endangered shark species and other vulnerable marine life as well. Known as by-catch, marine life caught in shark nets have a very low survival rate and are caught more commonly than sharks. The annual results from the Department of Primary Industries ‘Shark Meshing (Bather Protection) Program 2018/19 Annual Performance Report’ found that of the 395 marine animals caught, only 23 were the targeted tiger, great white, and bull sharks.

Dr John Paxton, Australian Museum, states that, “In its attempt to guarantee the impossible [human freedom from shark attack] the Government is paying a very high environmental price, and without public debate. How much time must pass, and how many more sharks and other harmless animals must be killed, before the meshing is gradually but steadily removed?”

5. Sharks do not have bones. True .

Sharks have no bones in their bodies! They are a cartilaginous fish, specifically a member of the Class Elasmobranchii. This includes sharks, rays, and skates, all of which have a skeleton made of cartilage rather than bone. Our ears and nose tip are also made out of this same substance.

Also, the skin of a shark is made up of tiny teeth-like structures called placoid scales, also known as dermal denticles. These are shaped like curved, grooved teeth and make the skin a very durable armour with a sandpaper-like texture.

6. Sharks must keep moving in order to survive. False .

Some sharks need to be continuously moving in order to keep oxygen-rich water flowing over their gills whilst others are able to pass water through their respiratory system by simply using a pumping motion of their pharynx, an example of this includes the Zebra shark ( Stegostoma fasciatum ) .

Nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum), for instance, are able to hang almost stationary in the water. They often rest in groups on the seafloor and breathe through buccal pumping, oral muscles which suck water into the mouth to supply oxygen to the gills.

7. The megalodon was real. True .

The megalodon ( Carcharocles megalodon ) was one of the largest apex predators to ever exist. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, the earliest fossil found of a megalodon dates to approximately 23 million years ago.

It is estimated that a female megalodon could grow to around 18 metres long and weigh over 45,000 kilograms. To help put that into perspective, great white sharks get to a maximum of around 6 metres long. Scientists have deduced these figures by studying the size of megalodon teeth as unfortunately the cartilage-body of sharks does not fossilise well and so only pieces of vertebrae and teeth can be used in any reconstruction attempts. Megalodon teeth have been found on every continent except Antarctica.

The release of the 2018 film, ‘The Meg’, sparked an influx of new theories and questions as to whether the megalodon could still be alive and swimming somewhere in the deep oceans. Most, if not all, scientists firmly say no to this theory. A species that size who requires warm water would certainly be noticed swimming around. The megalodon shark dominated the ocean for millions of years, until likely becoming extinct around 2.6 million years ago, as the fossil records of the mammoth shark disappear.

8. Female sharks can reproduce by themselves. True .

Bonnethead, blacktip, and zebra sharks are just some examples of shark species that have the power of parthenogenesis – the ability to have young without a male shark through fertilising their own eggs. This ability is most commonly found in plant and insect species like wasps and ants. Uncovering the ability of some shark’s asexual reproduction means that mammals are the only jawed vertebrate lineage incapable of parthenogenesis, according to Oxford Academic BioScience. The first discovery of this was in 2001 at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo. An aquarium housing three female bonnethead sharks suddenly overnight held an unexpected new addition - an eighteen centimeter bonnethead pup.

9. Sharks can cure cancer. False .

The misconception that sharks can cure cancer dates back to the 1970s when research at the John Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, discovered that cartilage could stop new blood vessels from growing into tissues — a characteristic of malignant tumours. This research began with experiments on rabbit cartilage but soon followed with shark cartilage. In addition, a Florida scientist experimented with sharks by exposing them to known carcinogens and noted the fish did not develop tumours.

However, it has been known for over 150 years that sharks in fact can get cancer. In 2013 Australian researchers discovered a great white shark with a tumour on its lower jaw, the first documented tumour in this particular species. The significance of this misconception is due to its primary role in promoting the hunting and killing of sharks to harvest their cartilage for the production of cancer fighting remedies. This craze has dramatically decimated shark populations. According to Scientific American, North American shark populations have decreased by up to 80% in the last decade.

10. Sharks can change their body temperature to help suit their environment. True .

Many sharks prefer to swim in warm water due to being cold-blooded which means the temperature of their blood is the same as the surrounding water temperature. However, the Laminids are a small group of sharks that have evolved to be able to maintain their body temperature a few degrees higher than their surrounding environment. Some examples of Laminids include the great white, mako, salmon, and porbeagle sharks. This ability to maintain a higher body temperature makes Laminids endothermic – the word “endothermy” means “heat within”.

The greenland shark ( Somniosus microcephalus ) which lives in the Arctic waters is distinct to the other endothermic sharks that dwell in such cold waters as it is, in fact, cold-blooded. Instead of producing internal heat, Greenland sharks rely on having a high level of urea and TMAO in order to stabilise proteins against freezing. This chemical makeup also enables hunting at extreme depths of around 2,000 metres without being impacted by the ambient pressure. Rarely seen by humans, this shark is estimated to have a lifespan of 400 years and is likely the oldest living shark on the planet.

11. Sharks can detect a single drop of blood in the ocean. False .

The notion that a shark can smell a single drop of blood in the ocean has been largely overexaggerated due to the hysteria that often arises when discussing these creatures. Sharks do, however, have an extremely acute sense of smell and a sensitive olfactory system. The ability of sharks to detect miniscule amounts of certain chemicals varies amongst the different species of sharks, however, some can detect their prey at one part per 10 billion which equates to one drop in an Olympic-size swimming pool! Whilst very impressive, it is certainly not the same as one drop to the entire ocean.

Sharks’ nostrils are located on the underside of the snout and are lined with specialised cells that comprise the olfactory epithelium. Water flows into the nostrils and dissolved chemicals come into contact with tissue, exciting receptors in the cells. These signals are then transmitted to the brain and are interpreted as smells. It is the extreme sensitivity of these cells and the enlarged olfactory bulb of the brain that assists the incredible smelling-ability of these creatures.

12. Sharks are better dead than alive. False

Sharks play an integral role in sustaining the balance of the ecosystem. As apex predators, sharks maintain the order of the oceanic food chain and act as an indicator for ocean health by indirectly culling the weak and sick. Sharks also help protect the diversity of other sea-life species by preserving the balance with other competitors.

Additionally, sharks shift their prey’s spatial habitat which consequently alters the feeding approaches and diets of other species. Through this spatial control, sharks inadvertently maintain the seagrass and coral reef habitats. The decline in shark numbers has generated a decrease in coral reefs, seagrass beds, and the loss of commercial fisheries.

Furthermore, without sharks, the number of other large predatory fish increase which feed on herbivores. A decrease in herbivores equates to an expansion of macroalgae which is overwhelming to coral and would shift the ecosystem to one of algae-dominance, affecting the reef system’s survival.

Oceana July 2008 report, ‘Predators as Prey: Why Healthy Oceans Need Sharks’.

13. When faced with an attacking shark, hitting it on the nose is the best option. True !

Whilst it may seem daunting, experts say that the best thing to do if a shark is about to attack is to hit it back!

• If an attack is imminent: The ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research recommends you defend yourself with whatever weapons possible, “Avoid using your [bare] hands or feet if you can avoid it; if not, concentrate your blows against the shark’s delicate eyes or gills”. The shark’s nictitating membrane, a protective eyelid-like barrier, is designed for protection against thrashing fish - not a human finger. The eyes and the gills are the most sensitive area for a shark, which also makes them the most effective place to distract and impede an oncoming attacking shark.
• If a shark manages to get you into its mouth: Be as aggressively defensive as possible. ISAF’s George Burgess states that, “‘Playing dead’ does not work”.
• If you are bitten: Try to stop the bleeding and leave the water as soon as possible. Whilst many sharks will not bite again, a second attack is not impossible.

How to help a victim of a shark attack:

• Remove the victim from the water as soon as possible.
• Control the bleeding by pressing on pressure points or applying a tourniquet.
• Keep the victim warm by wrapping them in a blanket.
• Call for medical help and try not to move the victim unnecessarily once out of the water.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2005/07/shark-attack-tips/

The Australian Museum respects and acknowledges the Gadigal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum stands.

Image credit: gadigal yilimung (shield) made by Uncle Charles  Chicka  Madden

The Truth About Sharks

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Sharks star in blockbuster movies as blood-seeking villains, but in reality they’re far more fascinating and complicated than they’re often depicted in pop culture.

Based on fossilized teeth and scales, scientists believe that sharks have been around for more than 400 million years—long before the dinosaurs. The ocean’s top predators have evolved into roughly 500 species that come in all different sizes and colors and have varying diets and behavior.

Like rays and skates, sharks fall into a subclass of fish called elasmobranchii. Species in this subclass have skeletons made from cartilage, not bone, and have five to seven gill slits on each side of their heads (most other fish have only one gill slit on each side), which they use to filter oxygen from the water.

Whale sharks , the largest fish species on Earth, can grow to more than 55 feet, while dwarf lantern sharks reach a mere eight inches.

Formidable predators, sharks have mouths lined with multiple rows of individual teeth that fall out and grow back on a routine basis. Their teeth come in all sizes and shapes, from serrated like a razor to triangular like a spear.

Santa Catalina Island, California

Sharks are found in deep and shallow waters throughout the world’s oceans, with some migrating vast distances to breed and feed. Some species are solitary, while others hang out in groups to varying degrees. Lemon sharks, for example, have been found to congregate in groups to socialize.

Scientists are still trying to figure out how long sharks live and have only studied the ages of a fraction of shark species. Most notable is the Greenland shark , Earth’s longest-lived vertebrate at 272 years.

Most sharks eat smaller fish and invertebrates, but some of the larger species prey on seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals.

People aren’t on a shark’s menu . Even though shark attacks have increased at a steady rate since 1900—a result of better recording of attacks and a rising human population—they are still exceedingly rare: A beachgoer has only a one in 11.5 million chance of being bitten.

Sharks bite people out of curiosity, to defend themselves from a perceived threat, or because they confuse a human with prey.

Sharks may not be a significant threat to us, but we are to them. Humans are responsible for drastic declines in shark populations.

Overfishing is the biggest threat. An estimated 100 million sharks are killed each year , mostly to supply demand for an expensive Chinese dish called shark fin soup . Some fisheries allow the catch of whole sharks, like any other fish, while others have outright banned shark fishing. Sometimes fishermen cut the fins off live sharks and dump the animals, finless, back into the ocean, where they’ll drown or bleed out. This practice is called shark finning , and it’s done to save space on the boat (the fins are the most valuable part of a shark) and to avoid surpassing fishing quotas.

Rising water temperatures and coastal development are also contributing to shrinking populations by destroying the mangroves and coral reefs that sharks use for breeding, hunting, and protecting young shark pups.

A drop in numbers is bad news for sharks but also for ocean health in general: As top predators of the ocean, sharks are critical for ensuring a balanced food web.

Watch more shark videos from National Geographic here.

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The truth about sharks

Mythic, mysterious and misunderstood, sharks have long been maligned as villains. But these surprisingly diverse creatures are in grave danger. We celebrate our emerging understanding of how sharks are crucial to the survival of economies, cultures and the planet

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The Truth About Sharks

Dive in to investigate the biology and ecology of sharks, dispelling misconceptions that lead many people to fear these important predators.

When you think of a shark, what images come to mind?

What distinctive features do they have, sharp teeth, a streamlined body, fins?

There are hundreds of different species of sharks. Although we can describe these diverse group of fishes in many different ways, sharks all have common characteristics – which is what makes a shark a shark. Sharks live in oceans all over the world and some even journey into fresh water.

Explore sharks, from their biology and behavior to misconceptions and the impact that we have on sharks, and ultimately how this affects the ocean ecosystem .

The Truth About Sharks will help you understand that:

• The relationship between sharks and humans is complex because it involves fear and misconceptions. Education about sharks can help foster a more balanced understanding.
• Sharks are fish. They have specific characteristics, including well-developed sensory systems, that define them.
• Sharks live across the globe and play an important role in the ocean ecosystem.
• The history of sharks began approximately 400 million years ago and continues through present day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mikki McComb-Kobza, is the Director and Chief Scientist of Ocean First Institute, an ocean conservation nonprofit organization that conducts impactful species conservation projects coupled with educational initiatives. She is the President of the American Elasmobranch Society which promotes the study of sharks, skates, rays and chimeras. She is faculty at CU Boulder’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and is a National Fellow of the Explorer’s Club. She is an applied conservation biologist with over 20 years of experience researching endangered species and advancing marine ecosystem restoration.

Her primary research focuses upon the biology, behavior, abundance, and movement of sharks using novel methodologies. She uses multiple strategies to advance science-based conservation initiatives across disciplines. She has led and participated in over 50 marine research expeditions, including regions of Australia, Africa, Brazil, China, Nova Scotia, Belize, the Caribbean, and the eastern coast of the United States.

Her research has been broadcast by the BBC, National Public Radio, the National Geographic Society, Discovery Channel Shark Week, and CBC National Radio Canada.

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The truth about sharks

Danger: shark attack (or more properly, say scientists, shark bite). With sharks swimming ever closer to shore this summer--or seeming to--and crossing paths with surfers and bathers, what's going on?

To learn what motivates a shark, the National Science Foundation (NSF) talked with two grantees who are shark biologists: Nick Whitney of the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Fla., and Gavin Naylor of the College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C. Whitney's research is funded by NSF's Division of Ocean Sciences; Naylor's by NSF's Division of Environmental Biology.

1) With shark attacks--or bites, as scientists call them--frequently in the news this summer, are there more sharks in coastal regions and if so, why?

(Naylor) Different species of sharks target different prey, so it may simply be that their prey is closer in, where people are swimming.

(Whitney) There have been an unusually high number of shark bites in North Carolina this summer, but the number of bites in other areas is down or in line with typical summers. Many of these are investigatory bites that involve the shark releasing the person and swimming away after the initial bite. The vast majority of shark-bite victims survive the incident, often with surprisingly minor injuries. That would not be the case if each incident were truly an "attack."

2) What brings sharks closer to shore?

(Naylor) Water temperature, food supply and occasionally reproductive condition (some sharks come in to drop their pups).

(Whitney) When schools of bait fish come near shore, they often draw in larger fish and sharks. Some telltale signs include small fish near the surface, or large numbers of seabirds diving into the water to feed. It's a good idea to stay out of these areas.

3) Popular wisdom claims that shark attacks on humans are cases of mistaken identity--the shark thinks a person is its usual seal or other prey. Is that the case?

(Naylor) This is likely the case in most instances, but in a few cases it might simply be curiosity.

(Whitney) Sharks don't have hands to touch something and investigate it. They do that with their teeth, and are surprisingly dexterous with their mouths. They are capable of biting each other during mating without seriously injuring each other, and of biting potential prey items in an investigatory manner without going for the kill. The fact that most shark bite victims survive with relatively minor injuries is evidence.

4) It's said that sharks need to keep swimming to stay alive. Is there any truth to that?

(Naylor) This is certainly true for most active pelagic sharks. Water is forced over their gills as they move. However, there are several groups of sharks that can pump water over their gills when stationary, such as walking sharks and nurse sharks.

(Whitney) Many shark species that must swim to breathe are capable of lying still and breathing for short periods in times of stress or during mating.

5) Sharks may have traits that make them important in medical research. Can you elaborate?

(Naylor) It's possible that sharks, like many organisms that have not been extensively studied, have traits that are important for medical research. Shark skin, for example, appears to have antibacterial properties.

(Whitney) Researchers at Mote Marine Laboratory have been some of the world leaders in the study of how shark immune systems can potentially benefit humans. They've isolated compounds from shark organs that inhibit the growth of tumor cells. They're also studying how antimicrobial properties in stingrays can be used to develop new antibiotics to combat the increasing number of drug-resistant bacterial strains.

6) What are we learning about the evolution of sharks?

(Naylor) One thing that is especially interesting is that Lamniform sharks (like white sharks, makos and threshers) belong to an ancient group that didn't diversify as much as their counterparts.

(Whitney) Something that has always fascinated me about sharks is their amazing diversity and ability to defy simple classification. The whitetip reef shark was initially classified in one family (Triakidae) based on its teeth and its habit of resting on the bottom, but has since been deemed a Carcharhinid. As such, it is the only Carcharhinid that rests on the bottom and has three-pointed teeth. It's fantastic to have molecular techniques available now that can give us much greater insights.

7) How often does a shark need to eat, and what can scientific research tell us about how sharks use energy?

(Whitney) Sharks are opportunistic predators, but the old idea that they will never turn down an easy meal is false. That's great news for surfers, but makes it difficult to study them when you first have to catch them on a baited hook! The study of shark-feeding was traditionally done only through examining the stomach contents of dead animals. Today, scientists are using new sensors and devices to try to understand how often sharks need to feed and what their average meal size is. Some species may stop feeding during their mating season. Sharks held in captivity sometimes cease eating for weeks at a time--with no explanation. It's amazing how much we still don't know about basic aspects of shark behavior.

8) How fast and how far do sharks swim?

(Whitney) How fast sharks swim is something that is very rarely studied. Even satellite-tracking technology only shows us how quickly an animal is covering ground. In white sharks that's typically about 2 to3 miles per hour, but that's not the same as how fast they're actually swimming because their paths are rarely straight lines. Sophisticated tag sensors have shown that mako sharks can swim more than 40 miles per hour for short bursts. Species like white sharks are capable of swimming thousands of miles and crossing ocean basins, whereas smaller reef sharks may return to the same "resting cave" or coral head for weeks, months or even years.

9) Are shark populations in decline on a global basis, and what can we do about it?

(Naylor) Populations of some species of sharks have declined precipitously. Some seemingly rare sharks, like the pocket shark, Mollisquama parini, are only known from two specimens. It's possible that some of these rare animals are not threatened, but are just not encountered by scientists because the sharks live in inaccessible habitats such as the deep ocean.

(Whitney) Most shark species are long-lived, slow-growing and slow to reproduce. That makes them vulnerable to fishing pressure. Once reproductively active adults are removed from a population, it can take years or even decades for the remaining animals to grow large enough to start slowly rebuilding the population. Shark fisheries are therefore "boom and bust" fisheries that collapse after a few years of exploitation. However, some shark species can be fished sustainably when properly managed. With a few exceptions, shark fisheries in U.S. waters today are well regulated, and populations are rebounding. The most severe exploitation of sharks is now taking place overseas and in developing nations, which makes shark conservation a multinational endeavor.

10) What would the oceans be like without sharks, apex predators of the seas?

(Naylor) It's safe to say that the oceans would be very different without sharks. It's likely that a new steady state would arise. Certain fish that are regularly kept in check by sharks might increase, putting pressure on other food sources. Removal of apex predators like sharks can reverberate right down to phytoplankton and bacteria.

(Whitney) Areas with healthy shark populations tend to have healthier and more diverse fish populations. When sharks are removed, the consequences can be dire for species down the food chain, even if sharks don't feed on them directly. Healthy shark populations make for healthy oceans.

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Blake Chapman

Blake is passionate about educating the public about how incredible sharks are.

Hammerhead shark

Hammerheads have wide-set eyes, which gives them better vision when hunting their prey.

Tiger shark

Weird but true fact – shark skeletons are made up of cartilage instead of bone!

Home Explorers Earth Heroes The truth about sharks

The truth about sharks

The world’s sharks are in trouble. They need our help and their time is running out. Today there are more than 140 sharks on the endangered list. Over fishing (mainly for their fins) and climate change are putting many at critical risk.

Explorers caught up with marine biologist Blake Chapman to separate truth from fiction.

What is the number one thing you want people to know about sharks?

One of the most important messages is that there is no ‘typical’ shark.

In fact, there are more than 500 species of sharks. They are all different and unique! Each species is perfectly adapted to its needs and environment and this makes the diversity of sharks really fascinating.

Why do you love them so much?

Sharks are absolutely incredible animals. I first became interested in them when I realised that so much of what we hear about sharks is incorrect or at least very biased. There is so much more to sharks. The more we learn about them, the more incredible they become. Sharks are also an important part of our planet’s aquatic ecosystems.

How can we help protect and keep our sharks thriving?

Sharks are currently at risk from fishing, human-caused changes to their habitat and broader environmental changes, mostly from climate change.

The number one thing is to learn about them. Investigate all of the little (and big) things that make sharks fascinating and good. Then share what you have learned to help other better understand the true nature of sharks.

What misconception about sharks would like to right?

That sharks are bad and do the wrong thing. Sharks are predators, and some are very large and powerful.

Unfortunately, sometimes this has really sad outcomes for people who share the water with sharks. It’s important to remember, though, that biting and eating are important, natural behaviours for sharks. They bite to investigate things they might not fully understand and just like all other animals, they need to eat to survive!

Seeing a shark so close to places where we swim and play can be a bit scary, but they aren’t coming close to shore to frighten us. Coastal habitats are really important for many species of sharks. This might be where they find their food, have their babies, or where the water conditions are just right for the sharks’ needs.

You can learn more about Blake and the great work she does by visiting: https://www.blakechapmancomms.com

Blake’s new book, Ocean Animals – The Weirdest, Smartest and Sneakiest Sea Creatures is out now and available at all good book stores for $29.99.

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