July 24, 2023 – Sharks

Shark Week kicked off last night, so naturally today we’re talking all things sharks!
There are more than 500 species of sharks, ranging in size from 6.7 inches (the dwarf lantern shark) to 40 feet (the whale shark, which is also the largest fish in the world). They’re found in every sea and have been around for at least 400 million years. While most live for 20 to 30 years, some species have much longer lifespans. The spiny dogfish and whale sharks can both live to be over 100 years old. And in 2016, researchers used radiocarbon dating on 28 Greenland sharks and determined that one might have been around 400 years old!
Sharks have a very good sense of smell, which helps them find prey, recognize territorial markers, and find potential mates. They don’t have bones – instead, their skeletons are made up of cartilage, which helps sharks stay mobile and buoyant in the water.
Sharks are much less dangerous than you probably think. Out of all the species of sharks, only 3 are responsible for double-digit numbers of unprovoked fatal attacks of humans – the great white, tiger, and bull shark. Your chances of being attacked by a shark are 1 in 11.5 million, and your chances of getting killed by one is 1 in 264.1 million. Considering how many people are at the beach at any given time, shark-related injuries are pretty rare! You have a better chance of being struck by lightning or getting attacked by a bear or alligator. In contrast, humans are actually one of the biggest threats to sharks. Since 1970, shark populations have shrunk by 71% mostly due to overfishing. Learn more here.