10 Things About Sharks You Probably Didn’t Know

Sharks are as enigmatic as they are feared, which is why it is no surprise that this creature has tickled our fancy so very often. There are a lot of things that we know about this fascinating creature or at least we think that we know about this creature, but there still might be a lot many more interesting facts about sharks that most aren’t aware of. Here’s a look at ten really interesting facts about the shark, which no movie or TV show might have revealed to date:

1. There is shark that barks like a dog; surely most might not be aware of this. This unique species called the Swell Shark found in New Zealand grows up to 100 centimeters in length. Unlike the common perception we have about sharks in general, this is one fish that is in no way a danger to human beings.
2. A shark’s skin can be made into really strong leather. In fact, a jacket or a shoe made using shark skin can last up to four times longer than if they were made by cowhide.  This certainly isn’t good news for the shark and you can certainly guess why.
3. A Whale Shark, which is the largest fish in the world, has 4000 teeth, but the teeth are just 1/8^th of an inch in length. If you can’t imagine yourself how long the teeth would be despite the dimensions being mentioned, let us tell you that they are really very small. Also, this mammoth fish goes through nearly a 1000 set of teeth during its lifetime. Basically, when this fish loses one teeth, it is immediately replaced by another.
4. You would be astonished to know that a wasp or a bee is more dangerous to human beings than a shark. Statistics show that only 6 people are killed by sharks each year, whereas nearly 100 people die from a wasp or a bee sting annually. In fact, we kill thousands of sharks each year for oil, skin, food and even sport. So we are much more dangerous to them that they are to us.
5. Over the years some really strange and weird stuff have been found inside sharks and these include everything from a treasure chest to a torpedo.
6. Usually, sharks can reach anywhere between 20-40 mph in water depending on the species, but there is one species called the Marko Shark which is capable of attaining 60 mph.
7. Sharks normally feast on all kinds of fishes, but they avoid the Puffer Fish as it inflates like a balloon when in danger and the needle like protrusions on its body end up hurting the insides of a shark’s mouth.
8. The hide of a female shark is much thicker than that of a male because during mating, male sharks are known to bite their partners. In fact, female sharks avoid male sharks when pregnant, which might be because of their tendency to bite.
9. The Greenland Shark, which reportedly is the slowest in the world, is known to prey on seals when they are asleep. Astonishingly, everything from polar bears to reindeers, have been found in the stomach of this shark.
10. Bet you didn’t know that shark teeth are cavity resistant, which is because their teeth are covered with fluoride. This very fact makes their teeth resistant to the acid that is produced by bacteria.