1. Because sharks very rarely get cancer, scientists study their cartilage in the hopes of finding a cure for the disease. 2. The first pup to hatch inside the sand tiger shark mother devours its brothers and sisters until there are only two pups left, one on each side of the womb. This form of cannibalism is called oophagy.
3. Even though almost equal numbers of men and women spend time in the ocean, sharks seem to prefer to attack men. In fact, nearly 90% of shark attacks have happened to men.
4. Sharks do not have a single bone in their bodies.
5. The Swell Shark, found in New Zealand, barks like a dog.
6. When it comes time to give birth, the female shark loses her appetite so she won’t be tempted to eat her own pups.
7. The dwarf shark is as mall as a persons hand.
8. An egg from a whale shark measuring 14 inches in diameter was found in the Gulf of Mexico in 1953.
9. The bull shark is the only shark that can live in both fresh and salt water.
10. The fastest swimming sharks are the Mako and Blue sharks, which can swim upwards of 60 miles per hour.
11. Sharks ears are on the inside of their head.
12. The Great White Shark eats 11 tons of food per year.
13. A shark’s liver can make up 25% of its body weight.
