Hobbies And Interests
Great White Shark
The great white shark is believed to be involved in more attacks on humans than any other subspecies of shark. Between a third and a half of all yearly shark attacks are committed by great whites. If it's any reassurance to humans, great whites don't like the taste of humans and are more likely biting in order to taste you. Many people survive a great white attack because the shark releases its victim after finding the taste unappetizing. The shark can grow up to 20 feet in length and is the largest predatory fish. It has almost 300 triangular teeth, which are serrated.
Tiger Shark
The tiger shark is the second-deadliest shark, just behind the great white in the amount of attacks. It gets its name from the dark stripes on its body, which is similar to the appearance of tiger stripes. As the shark matures, the stripes fade. Unlike the great white, a tiger shark will not swim away from a human after it's taken a bite. It eats anything it finds, including stingrays, squid, license plates and tires. Its habitat is tropical and suptropical waters of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
Shortfin Mako Shark
The fastest of all shark subspecies, the shortfin mako is a formidable predator. It is an aggressive feeder that is notorious for attacking humans. Makos have been known to free themselves from fishing line and bite those onboard after being hauled on a fishing boat. It's a good hunter due to an elevated body temperature. The heat and energy it produces helps it to prey on cold-blooded prey, such as tuna, swordfish, sea turtles and other sharks. The shark lives throughout the world, although more numbers are found in the western Atlantic Ocean from Argentina to the Gulf of Mexico.
Oceanic Whitetip Shark
The oceanic whitetip is a subspecies of shark that spends most of its time in deep waters. It is usually a solitary shark, although it often participates in group feeding. The shark gets its name from the white-colored tip of the dorsal fin. The oldest whitetip is believed to have been 22 years old. Although the shark lives in deep, offshore waters, it is dangerous to humans. It is believed to be the first species to investigate a midocean disaster. For example, during World War II, oceanic whitetips fed on hundreds of men onboard the Nova Scotia steamship when it was sunk by torpedoes.
Bull Shark
The bull shark is thought to be one of the most dangerous sharks in the world, if not the most dangerous to humans. Although it is responsible for almost 70 recorded unprovoked attacks on humans, it is believed to be responsible for many more. The fact that it has no easily identifiable physical features or marking is a reason for inaccurate attack numbers. The only recognizable feature is a blunt, rounded snout, which can be difficult to see during a disorientating attack. It lives in shallow coastal waters less than 100 feet deep. They can survive in both salt water and freshwater, which is why they are found in estuaries and lagoons inland.