Basking Sharks

The Basking Shark is the SECOND LARGEST living fish after the Whale Shark. Similar to the Whale Shark, Basking Sharks are filter feeders, having small, thread-like teeth that serve as 'rakers' (i.e. separating their food from the non-food). These sharks are notoriously slow moving and are usually greyish-brown in color. Their teeth are small and are extremely numerous (there are approximately 100 teeth per row).
The Basking Sharks are found all over the world in temperate oceans, generally favoring the warmer waters. Basking Sharks also tend to migrate alone or in small schools. They do NOT hibernate, and remain active year-round.
They are NOT an aggressive breed of shark.

Basking Sharks earned their name because they are known for literally basking in warm waters.They are often seen close to shores and do not retreat as other breeds of sharks do upon a moving boat or ship. They are not attracted to chum as most other breeds of sharks are. Basking Sharks tend to follow migrating plankton concentrations, however, they characteristically migrate according to the seasons.

On average, an adult Basking Shark reaches lengths of approximately 20-26 feet and weigh in around 5.1 tons!! They can be identified by their large, cavernous mouths (which are approximately 3 feet long)!!

Basking Sharks are known to breach as the Great White Sharks do. Scientists believe that while a Great White's purpose of breaching is to stun and kill prey, Basking Sharks perform this breathtaking feat to dislodge annoying parasites off of their bodies. Basking Sharks are social animals and have few predators (do to their intimidating size).
A female's gestation period is approximately 1 year on average, however, it is speculated that it could be as long as 2 or 3 years!
The Basking Sharks reach maturity between 6-13 years.
Unfortunately, the Basking Sharks are fished for their fins and in some areas have completely disappeared. They are considered a vulnerable, threatened species.
Thankfully, it is illegal to hunt these sharks in the UK, Malta, Florida and along the US Gulf. These are harmless sharks and due to overexploitation are being subjected to the cruel and inhumane practices of finning.

Scalloped Hammerheads

The Scalloped Hammerhead lives primarily in warm and tropical areas of the oceans. Specifically, this species of shark can be found near the continental shelves across the globe. Scalloped Hammerheads can be found in depths of over 500 meters!
Out of all the species of Hammerheads, the Scalloped Hammerhead is the most common. During the day, these sharks can be found closer to shore, however, in the evening, especially when it is their feeding time, Scalloped Hammerheads can be found further offshore.
Adult Scalloped Hammerheads have been known to swim and travel alone or in small schools. It is one of the few species of shark that travels in group-like settings.

Not much is known on this species of shark's reproductive habits or behaviors.
Obviously, the most distinguishing feature of the Scalloped Hammerhead Shark is its hammer-shaped head, hence its name. The eyes and nostrils sit at the very tips of the head. The hammer-shaped head is crucial to the way this species of shark survives; it provides a weapon to stun prey by aggressively bumping into it. The hammer-shaped head is also lined with thousands of little nerve receptors that allow the shark to detect its prey in the dark.

The maximum length recorded of this species of shark was 14 feet long and the heaviest weight that has been recorded was approximately over 330 pounds. Its primary source of food is fish, specifically sardines, mackerels, and herring with the occasional squid or octopus.
This species of shark is NOT considered dangerous and are normally NOT aggressive towards people. As of 2008, the Scalloped Hammerhead Shark has been placed under the 'GLOBALLY ENDANGERED' LIST. Scientists believe it is because of over-fishing as well as finning.
Research has shown that in areas of the Atlantic Ocean, the Scalloped Hammerheads' population has decreased by 95% in the last 30 years, and continues to dwindle down as a result of illegal shark finning and over-fishing.

Silky Sharks

The Silky Shark is known for the smooth and silky tecture of its skin...not very common when dealing with sharks. They are the MOST ABUNDANT breed of shark in all tropical areas of the ocean due to their tendency to migrate all across the Continental Shelf.

This species of shark grow to be approximately 8 feet long (which is relatively small compared to a Great White or Tiger Shark).
Silky Sharks favor bony fish, in particular tuna, and have been known to trail schools of fish. They are also known for herding schools of fish into smaller groups and then attacking the fish by slashing around with their open mouths.
Silky sharks have an EXCELLENT and extremely sensitive sense of hearing which allows this species of shark to determine where other sharks are feeding which usually means prey is nearby.

Female Silky Sharks have a gestation period of 12 MONTHS and can give birth to up to 16 pups at a time (6-12 pups are the usual amount). The young are born alive and fully developed. Before giving birth, the mother usually looks for an isolated reef sanctuary or nursery so that way when the pups are born they can hide amongst the reef. The pups know to spend their first few months in these reefs so as to stay camouflaged and hidden away from dangerous predators.

This species of shark is known to have particularly large and sharp teeth that allow them to cut into bony fish. The Silky Shark has been known to be aggressive towards divers but attacks on humans are extremely RARE due to they spend most of their time in areas where humans do not dive.

Although these sharks seem to be plentiful since their ability to migrate throughout the oceans, Silky Sharks are becoming very targeted for their fins. Since their abundance in the oceans, they have become a particular target for fisherman and as such their numbers are majorly declining.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has changed the Silky Sharks' conservation status FROM "LEAST CONCERN" TO "NEAR THREATENED" in 2007.  
As of May of 2009, the International Shark Attack File has reported 6 attacks of Silky Sharks on humans, NONE OF WHICH WERE FATAL.
Silky Sharks are heavily fished, and are victims to fisherman finning them (taking their fins and then discarding them back into the ocean, either to die by suffication, bleeding-to-death, or being attacked by predators).
*****IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 500,000 TO 1,500,000 MILLION SILKY SHARKS ARE FINNED AND TRADED EACH YEAR. IT IS THE SECOND-MOST COMMON SPECIES SOLD IN THE HONG KONG FINNING MARKET. (HONG KONG REPRESENTS OVER HALF THE GLOBAL TRADE OF SHARK FINS). *****

Lemon Sharks

Lemon Sharks are known for their distinctive color: in certain depths, when the light reflects off of their skin, it gives off a yellow, pitted appearance just like a lemon. Besides their unique yellowish color, Lemon Sharks do not have any other distinctive markings or patterns on its skin.
Lemon Sharks can grow up to be 10 feet long (the largest species currently documented was 13 feet long)  and are known to be bottom-dwellers. This species of shark is not known for having excellent eyesight, however, their nose receptors are extremely sensitive, which allows for the Lemon Sharks to prowl around the bottom of the ocean and find their prey that may be hidden underneath the sand.

Females give birth to approximately 4-17 live pups every other year upon sexual maturity. Once given birth to, the young pups are completely on their own, as any other species of shark. The young tend to stay near their place of birth until they mature and then they eventually venture out into different tropical areas of the ocean.
Lemon Sharks are found mostly in the subtropical waters off of the coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans specifically near North and South America.

Lemon Sharks are very commonly seen in zoos and aquariums because they are one species of shark that actually thrives in captivitiy. Unlike Great White Sharks, which cannot live in captivity because they refuse food, Lemon Sharks survive well in such an environment.
Since 2007, this species has begun to experience decline due to overfishing and finning. However, thankfully, they are one of the few species of shark that are not in severe threatened status...yet.
Since the year 1580, there have been 22 recorded attacks on humans from Lemon Sharks, NONE of which were fatal.

Whale Sharks

Known mostly for their enormous size and docile behavior, Whale Sharks are largest fish species that are threatened to become extinct. Scientists have discovered that this species has been around for over 60 million years and has a life span of about 70 years.
Whale Sharks gravitate to warmer waters, especially in the tropical areas. Every spring, Whale Sharks migrate towards the continental shelf off of the coast of Australia.
The gestation period of a Whale Shark is unknown, however, in 1996, a female Whale Shark was captured and was pregnant with over 300 pups. The pups hatch inside the mother and stay in her for an unknown amount of time. When they are born, Whale Shark pups are approximately 16-24 inches long.
It is believed that Whale Sharks reach sexual maturity at approximately 30 years of age.

The largest Whale Shark ever mentioned was 40 feet long, but they are known to get even bigger than that. The average size of male Whale Sharks recorded is approximately over 31 feet and 20,000 pounds. In relation to a bus, a whale shark is as big, IF NOT BIGGER than an average school bus.

Whale Sharks usually have gray, blue, or brown spots or stripes covering their tops, while they have white underbellies.
Most notably, Whale Sharks are known for the huge contradiction of their enormous size, and docile behavior. Whale Sharks do not have sharp teeth like other species of sharks do. They have BALEENS which is sort of like a filter system. The baleens are so tightly packed together that it catches the Whale Sharks' prey...plankton. Anything too big would not be able to pass through, which is why if a human were to ever get accidentaly caught in their enormous mouths (it has been alleged that this has happened before although there is not any verifiable proof) they would be spit out immediately :)

When Whale Sharks are confronted by humans, they usually swim past them, minding their own business, and sometimes humans are even able to hitch a ride alongside these massive, gorgeous creatures. However, some scientists suggest that this is not a good idea, one of the reasons being that this is an animal in his/her natural habitat and should be respected and left alone.

Whale Sharks, are by far one of the sweetest, most peaceful creatures in our Oceans. It is beyond unfortunate and heartbreaking that they are continued to be murdered in parts of Asia, for example the Phillippines and Taiwan.

A Theory of Mine...

I do some of my best thinking in the shower, and it occurred to me a possible theory as to why sharks have very few proponents in this world.

Here are some of my thoughts:
1) First of all, sharks do not have any fur, so they do not give off that warm and cuddly feeling; instead they seem to give off a cold, hard, and painful feeling.

2) There are those rows and rows of deadly, sharp teeth that don't help.

3) They don't yawn, sneeze, cough, sleep, or close their eyes.

4) You can't really blame the way they feed on animals as one of the reasons because you can just take a look at the National Geographic channel and see a lion or tiger devouring a still-alive baby zebra and that just shakes you to your core. So that is not a reasonable reason. All animals have violent tendencies.

5) This is my final reason, and I think this is at the core of the lack-of-supporters for sharks: sharks are really, the only species I can think of that have absolutely, 100% NO maternal instincts. They do not feed their babies milk, watch over them, teach them, guide them or anything. Once the baby is born they are on their own! Completely, they get absolutely no attention or help from their parents. I mean even certain species of snakes and spiders look after their young to a certain extent. But I guess if you have rows and rows of sharp teeth, serrated skin, and no arms, you wouldn't be a very good mother even if you tried. It is possible that this lack of maternal instincts doesn't promote affectionate feelings towards the apex predators of the ocean.

Anyway, this is just a theory of mine. Let me know what you think :)

Marissa

Great Victories for Sharks!!!

We are doing something right ladies and gentlemen!!!

According to the amazing Shark Research Institute, Chile has completely banned shark finning in their waters.
Honduras claimed over 90,000 miles as a shark sanctuary (meaning that no matter the circumstances, if sharks are in that region, killing them is ILLEGAL)!!
The Bahamas claimed over 240,000 miles as a shark sanctuary as well.
Finally, The Marshall Islands, Palau, and Guam claimed OVER 2 MILLION MILES as a shark sanctuary.

Here at home, Oregon, Washington, and California have outlawed the trade of shark fins!

These are obviously huge accomplishments for our notorious apex predator of the ocean. The stricter we are on shark finning the better our Earth's health and survival will be. We still have an enormous amount of work to do to reverse the devastating damage that humans have caused, half of the known 400 species of sharks are still ENDANGERED!!! But with continued awareness and research we can help sharks regain their numbers.

The Shark Research Institute is the leading organization in promoting sharks' interests, educating people about sharks, and giving them a voice, and I am proud to be a member. Their continuous research has helped several species of sharks gain numbers and their relentless stance in promoting shark conservation has (and will continue to) decrease the destruction of our apex predator of the ocean . I am honored to be a small part in this organization. If you would like to check them out, their website is www.sharks.org.