With fewer herbivores, the microalgae can rapidly multiply, killing the corals.įewer sharks has led to the decline of reef systems and sea grass habitats. For example, when there are fewer sharks in a reef system, larger predatory fish, such as grouper, dominate, feeding off of the smaller herbivores. They’re particularly important for coral reefs and seagrasses. Apex predator sharks maintain prey populations and support healthy habitats. Most sharks are predators, and the large ones are often apex predators, which means they are top-of-the-food chain animals who are necessary for maintaining ecosystem health and balance. Other shark features include their pectoral fins, five to seven gill slits (instead of one like bony fish have), and dermal denticles- the tiny scales that make sharks super fast. But did you know that shark cartilage fossilizes, unlike human noses and ears? That’s because sharks form calcium deposits in their skeletons as they age, strengthening their skeletons and fossilizing afterward. Cartilage is the same material that forms human noses and ears, and it, along with large oil-filled livers, helps sharks stay buoyant. Sharks are fish whose skeletons are made of cartilage instead of bones, making sharks related to rays, skates, and sawfish. Captured in the clear blue waters of South Australia. Great white shark looks straight into the camera. Here are a few facts about the group of animals that can be found along coasts, in estuaries, in the occasional river, and in deep ocean waters, thousands of feet below the surface. ![]() Plus, they’re fascinating! With so many species, sharks have a wide-array of behaviors and characteristics, though, to be fair, sharks are like other animals-they’re individuals with their own quirks and intrinsic value, regardless of what species they are. ![]() And now they’re in critical danger.īut why should we care about sharks? Well, they do a lot for us humans and for the oceans we depend on. From the smallest light-emitting Dwarf Lantern Shark averaging close to 7 inches in length to the 55-foot-long whale shark, sharks have been greatly misunderstood. There are more than 500 species of sharks swimming in oceans around the world. A portrait of a blue shark from the waters of Rhode Island
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