PROJECT SHARK AWARENESS

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PROJECT SHARK AWARENESS
FLORIDA PROGRAM FOR SHARK RESEARCH Florida
Museum of Natural History
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Project Shark Awareness

• Shark Basics
• Shark Biology
• Shark Attacks
• Shark Conservation

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SHARK BASICS
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How many types of sharks are there?

• 400 described species of sharks
• New species are being described all the time
• Rays and skates are close relatives of sharks

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How long have sharks existed?

• Ancestors of modern sharks lived over 400
  million years ago, before the dinosaurs!

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Do sharks have bones?
Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)

• Sharks lack true bone, instead they have
  cartilaginous skeletons

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How long do sharks live?
Smooth Dogfish (Mustelus canis) Whale Shark
(Rhincodon typus)

• Maximum age varies by species, from 16 years to
  many decades
• Whale sharks may live over 100 years!

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What does a shark's skin feel like?
Silky Shark (Carcharhinus falciformis)

• Shark skin feels like sandpaper

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Do sharks sleep?
Caribbean Reef Shark (Carcharhinus perezi)

• Sharks do not sleep like humans
• Sharks have active and restful periods

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Can sharks hear?
Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos)

• Sharks have an excellent sense of hearing
• Sharks have ears located inside their heads
  rather than external ears like humans

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Why do sharks have so many teeth?
Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)

• Shark teeth grow in layers so if any break off,
  new sharp teeth can immediately take their place

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What is the fastest shark?
Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus)

• The fastest shark is the shortfin mako
• It swims at speeds of up to 20 mph (32 km/h)
• This shark feeds on very fast fish such as tuna
  and swordfish

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What is the largest shark?
Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)

• The largest shark, and also the largest fish in
  the ocean is the whale shark, growing to over 60
  feet (18 m) in length
• Whale sharks feed on plankton

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What Is A Sawfish?
Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata)

• Sawfish are closely related to sharks
• They are recognized by the long flat rostral
  saw
• The saw is used to probe sediments for
  invertebrates

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SHARK BIOLOGY
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How many kinds of fins do sharks have?

• Sharks have five different types of fins
• pectoral, pelvic, dorsal, anal, and caudal

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How can you tell a male from a female shark?

• Males have claspers and females do not

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Are sharks warm or cold-blooded?
White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

• Most sharks are cold-blooded
• Body temperature changes with environment
• Some sharks have warm-blooded capabilities

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Do sharks lay eggs or give live birth?
Scalloped Hammerhead embryo (Sphyrna lewini)

• Oviparous (egg-laying) species
• Viviparous (live-bearing) species

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What is a mermaid's purse?
Skate egg case on top, dogfish (shark) egg case
on bottom

• Egg cases of many sharks and skates are referred
  to as mermaids purses
• Each mermaids purse contains one fertilized egg
  from which a young shark or skate later emerges

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What is the correct term for a baby shark?
Newborn shark

• A baby shark is referred to as a pup

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Can sharks live in freshwater?
Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas)

• Most sharks live only in saltwater
• Some coastal shark species can survive in
  brackish estuaries with mixed fresh- and
  saltwater

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Why do basking sharks swim with their mouths
open?
Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus)

• Food is strained from the water by gill rakers
  located in the gill slits

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Why do hammerhead sharks have broad heads?
Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini)

• The broad head may give the shark some sensory
  advantages
• The head may also provide additional lift and
  maneuverability as the shark moves through the
  water

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How do sharks detect prey?
White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

• Sharks have six keen senses to detect prey

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SHARK ATTACKS
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Are all sharks dangerous to humans?
Leopard Catshark (Poroderma pantherinum)

• Of the approximately 400 different species of
  sharks found in the worlds oceans, only about 3
  should be considered particularly dangerous

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1580-2006 World-Wide Attacks
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1670-2006 U.S. Shark Attacks
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1882-2006 Florida Shark Attacks
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What are the chances of being attacked by a
shark?

• The chances of being attacked by a shark are
  very small compared to other animal attacks,
  natural disasters, and ocean-side dangers

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Why are sharks considered Man-Eaters?
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Jaws!
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In The News...
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World War II

• Air and sea disasters attracted sharks
• Increased search for shark repellant

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Populated Beaches

• Rapid population growth in Florida
• Increased number of people in water increased
  chance of shark attacks

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How can I avoid being attacked by a shark?
Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)

• Although the relative risk of a shark attack is
  very small, risks should always be minimized
  whenever possible in any activity.

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SHARK CONSERVATION
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What is shark finning?

• Shark finning is the practice of cutting the
  fins off of sharks as they come aboard and
  throwing their bodies back overboard.

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Why should we protect sharks?
Chain Dogfish (Scyliorhinus retifer)

• Sharks are especially vulnerable to overfishing
• Conservation of ecological balance and
  biodiversity is important in maintaining healthy
  ecosystems

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Acknowledgements
Thanks to Florida Program for Shark
Research Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund
Florida Museum of Natural History National
Marine Fisheries Service