Most of the shark species that can be found in the Caribbean region are not a threat to humans, as tend to not be as aggressive as other sharks. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, as the bull shark, the tiger shark, and the Caribbean reef shark, all found in the Caribbean, are extremely dangerous. Most shark attacks that occur are by hammerhead, Caribbean reef, and black tip sharks.
Sharks are a unique organism, in that teeth are the the only bones that can be found in a shark’s body. The rest of a shark’s body is composed of cartilage. Additionally, sharks use electric impulses in order to hunt their prey, as they have very poor eyesight but also a great sense of smell. A shark’s skin is very scaly, much like fish, they have a rough exterior. When a shark bites, it is not necessarily intent on eating its victim, rather it decides whether or not it is worthy to eat only after it bites it.
There are three hundred and fifty known species of sharks, organized under thirty four distinct shark families. There is a wide array of differences between various sharks, for instance, some sharks live towards the ocean floor, whereas others remain in shallow waters. When a new shark species is discovered, it is assigned a scientific name (that classifies its species), as well as a reference (common) name. Sharks are often classified according to their diet, body type, and their preferred climate.
Shark diets, like body types, vary depending on the species, however most shark diets are diverse and they’ll eat most kinds of food they’re able to attain. Sharks are able to hunt their prey using their astounding sense of smell, they’re able to smell blood from tens of miles away, which makes finding food relatively easy. When food is in abundance, sharks often go on feeding frenzies, that is, eating excess amounts of food.
Like many other sea creatures, sharks migrate seasonally, so that they’re able to mate as well as find food sources. Sharks migrate every year, like clockwork, and often travel in groups of thousands of sharks, in order to ensure their security. The longest recorded shark migration on record was by a blue shark, that migrated 3,740 miles.
Sharks often fall victim to negative publicity because of their rare attacks against humans. But in actuality, sharks should be scared of humans and not vice-versa, as approximately thirteen million sharks are killed annually by humans, whereas there were only six human deaths caused by sharks last year. Sharks are hunted for many reasons, but primarily because they’re an edible food source, and they also provide necessary nutrients to formulate various vitamins and medicines. Today, sharks are on the endangered species list, as a result of humans. Sharks are often portrayed with a negative connotation, because of wide-spread beliefs that they are indeed dangerous, however, a person is statistically more likely to get struck by lightning than to be attacked by a shark. Hollywood movies have also contributed to this belief, through their various movies such as Deep Blue Sea, Jaws, and more. In the rare instances that a shark does attack a human, it is most likely because the shark confused the human for prey. Shark attacks have been recorded since Ancient Greece, and have been minimal. The most aggressive of all sharks, however, is the bull shark, that has been known to swim up the Mississippi River from the ocean.
