sharks have been my favorite animals ever since i can remember. there was this one specific disc documentary i owned (simply called sharks) that i would watch over and over again when i was a wee tot. i don't recall what my first favorite shark species was, but nowadays i can safely say it is a tie between big eye thresher sharks (Alopias superciliosus), blue sharks (Prionace glauca), and basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus). to me, however, all sharks are cool sharks. keep reading for some cool shark facts! or click the blacktip reef shark to go home.
- sharks can have pups in three ways: live birth (viviparous), laying eggs (oviparous), and internal eggs hatching (ovoviviparous; sort of a middle between the other two)
- despite the common urban myth; not all sharks need to swim continuously to stay alive. some sharks have adapted to being able to pump water through their gills whilst stationary
- epaulette sharks (Hemiscyllium ocellatum) are able to crawl in a way with their pectoral fins
- all sharks have eyelids, they just don't need to blink because they're in the water
- the smallest shark species in the world, the dwarf lantern shark (Etmopterus perryi), only grows up to 20cm/6in
- goblin sharks (Mitsukurina owstoni) are the oldest species of shark still alive on earth (that we currently know of)
- greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) have the longest lifespans (estimated to be 250-500 years long)
- some sharks will breach the water like whales in pursuit of prey
