You’d be surprised to learn that sharks aren’t only known for their mean-looking features. There’s so much more to discover about these amazing sea creatures and we’ve put together a diverse list of interesting facts that’s perfect for your kids who are looking to learn a little more about these majestic animals. They’ll find a multitude of shark species that they may not have seen before, along with the characteristics that make them unique.
1. Sharks have been around for over 400 million years.
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2. There are over 500 different species of sharks.
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3. Sharks are found in every ocean on Earth.
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4. The whale shark is the largest shark, reaching lengths of 40 feet.
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5. Sharks have a sixth sense called electroreception, which allows them to detect electrical currents.
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6. The hammerhead shark has a head shaped like a hammer, hence its name.
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7. Some sharks lay eggs, while others give birth to live young.
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8. Sharks have multiple rows of teeth, and they can grow new ones if they lose any.
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9. The great white shark is the world’s largest predatory fish.
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10. The smallest shark is the dwarf lantern shark, which can fit in a person’s hand.
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11. Sharks have a special type of skin made of tiny tooth-like structures called dermal denticles.
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12. Most sharks are not dangerous to humans.
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13. Shark finning, where sharks are caught for their fins and then released, is a big threat to many shark species.
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14. Sharks play an important role in keeping ocean ecosystems balanced.
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15. Some sharks can travel up to 60 miles in a day.
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16. Unlike fish, sharks cannot swim backwards.
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17. Sharks can go into a trance-like state called tonic immobility if flipped upside down.
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18. The fastest shark is the shortfin mako, which can swim at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.
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19. Nurse sharks are known for their ability to rest on the ocean floor.
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20. The cookiecutter shark gets its name because it takes round bites out of its prey.
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21. Some sharks, like the great white, have countershading, which means their bellies are white and their backs are gray to camouflage from prey.
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22. Tiger sharks are known as the “garbage cans of the sea” because they eat a variety of items, including non-food items.
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23. Sharks can detect a drop of blood in the water from miles away.
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24. The lifespan of a shark can range from 20 to over 100 years, depending on the species.
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25. The spiny dogfish shark has a lifespan of over 100 years.
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26. Not all sharks have sharp teeth; the basking shark has tiny teeth.
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27. Sharks don’t have bones; instead, they have cartilage.
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28. Some sharks, like the bull shark, can live in both saltwater and freshwater.
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29. Sharks have a keen sense of smell.
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30. The megalodon was a prehistoric shark, and one of the largest predators to ever exist.
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31. A shark’s liver can weigh up to 25% of its body weight.
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32. Sharks never sleep fully but rather have resting periods.
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33. The thresher shark has a long tail fin, which it uses to stun prey.
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34. Whale sharks feed primarily on plankton.
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35. Some female sharks can reproduce without mating, a phenomenon called parthenogenesis.
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36. The blacktip reef shark often leaps out of the water and spins in the air.
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37. The frilled shark is named after its gills, which have a frilly appearance.
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38. Lemon sharks get their name from their yellowish color.
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39. Shark corneas are similar to human corneas, and they have been used in eye surgeries.
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40. Sharks don’t get cavities because their teeth are covered in fluoride.
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41. The Greenland shark is one of the slowest-moving sharks.
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42. Many sharks have to keep swimming to breathe, but some can pump water over their gills while resting.
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43. Sharks have small holes behind their eyes, called spiracles, which help them breathe while stationary.
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44. The angel shark looks more like a ray than a traditional shark.
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45. The bonnethead shark is the smallest member of the hammerhead family.
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46. The carpet shark gets its name from its ornate pattern, resembling a carpet.
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47. Some sharks are bioluminescent, which means they can produce light.
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48. A group of sharks is called a “shiver.”
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49. The sawshark has a long snout with teeth that look like a saw.
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50. Some sharks, like the blue shark, are viviparous, meaning they give birth to live young.
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51. The goblin shark can extend its jaw to catch prey.
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52. Some species of sharks are nocturnal, while others are active during the day.
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53. The horn shark has two spines that can deliver a venomous sting.
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54. The silky shark got its name because of its smooth and silky texture.
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55. Wobbegongs are bottom-dwelling sharks with a camouflage appearance.
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56. Sharks have special cells called “Ampullae of Lorenzini” that detect electric fields.
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57. The zebra shark, when young, has stripes like a zebra, but they turn into spots as it matures.
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58. Some species of sharks can become aggressive when they hear low-frequency sounds.
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59. The epaulette shark can walk on its fins.
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60. The tasselled wobbegong has tassels around its mouth, aiding in camouflage.
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61. Many species of deep-sea sharks have never been observed by humans.
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62. The filter-feeding megamouth shark was discovered in 1976.
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63. The great hammerhead shark has a unique T-shaped head.
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64. The porbeagle shark is known to leap out of the water, much like dolphins.
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65. Whale sharks have over 3,000 tiny teeth, but they don’t use them for eating.
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66. Sharks have the ability to regenerate their teeth.
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67. The swell shark can swallow water or air to inflate its body when threatened.
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68. The cow shark has a unique 7-gill slit, unlike most sharks which have five.
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69. The gray reef shark displays a threat posture by arching its back and lowering its pectoral fins.
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70. The velvet belly lantern shark has light-emitting organs on its belly.
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71. Some species of sharks can heat their eyes using a special organ called a rete mirabile.
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72. The pygmy shark is one of the smallest shark species.
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73. Many sharks have a unique pattern of notches and ridges on their dorsal fin, much like a human fingerprint.
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74. The scalloped hammerhead shark travels in schools during the day.
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75. The basking shark is the second-largest shark species.
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76. Sharks are apex predators, meaning they are at the top of the food chain.
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77. Some sharks have been known to jump out of the water to catch prey, a behavior called breaching.
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78. The cigar shark emits a greenish light from its body.
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79. The kitefin shark is the largest known bioluminescent vertebrate.
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80. The bramble shark is covered in thorn-like denticles.
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81. The salmon shark is named because it feeds heavily on salmon.
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82. The crocodile shark is a species of mackerel shark.
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83. The bluntnose sixgill shark is one of the oldest living shark species.
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84. The pocket shark is so rare that only two specimens have ever been observed.
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85. The speartooth shark gets its name from the spear-like teeth in its lower jaw.
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86. A shark’s diet can include fish, squid, crustaceans, and sometimes even birds.
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87. The sharpnose sevengill shark has a unique combination of seven gill slits and a sharp nose.
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88. The viper dogfish has fang-like teeth and a snake-like appearance.
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89. The sand tiger shark’s young consume each other in the womb, a phenomenon called intrauterine cannibalism.
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90. The ghost shark, also known as a chimaera, is not a true shark but a close relative.
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91. The river sharks of the genus Glyphis are true freshwater sharks.
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92. The Japanese sawshark has a long rostrum lined with sharp teeth.
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93. The spinner shark is known for its spinning leaps.
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94. The blacktip shark gets its name from the black tips on its fins.
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95. The oceanic whitetip shark is known for its long, wing-like pectoral fins.
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96. The school shark often travels in schools.
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97. The prickly shark is covered in sharp, needle-like denticles.
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98. The leopard shark gets its name from its leopard-like spots.
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99. The dusky shark can travel long distances, sometimes up to 3,000 miles.
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100. The nurse shark got its name from the sucking sound it makes, similar to a nursing baby.
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101. The reef shark is commonly found in tropical coral reefs.
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102. The guitarfish is a mix between a ray and a shark.
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103. The chain catshark has a pattern that looks like a chain link.
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104. The sevengill shark is often found in the cold waters of San Francisco Bay.
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105. Some sharks, like the catshark, have fluorescent properties.
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106. The Pacific sleeper shark is known for its sluggish behavior.
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107. The bullhead shark has a wide, flattened head.
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108. The bamboo shark is a type of carpet shark.
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109. The horn shark is named for the horn-like spines in front of its dorsal fins.
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110. The sandbar shark has a tall, triangular dorsal fin.
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111. The dogfish shark gets its name from its habit of hunting in packs.
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112. The pelagic thresher shark has an elongated upper lobe of the tail fin.
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113. The smooth hammerhead shark is a species of hammerhead that lacks a central notch on its head.
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114. The houndshark gets its name from its keen sense of smell.
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115. The whale shark’s mouth can be up to 5 feet wide.
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116. The false catshark is also known as the sofa shark because of its flabby appearance.
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117. The Caribbean reef shark is one of the largest apex predators in the Caribbean.
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118. The gray smooth-hound is a species of houndshark found along the Pacific coast.
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119. The smalleye hammerhead has disproportionately small eyes.
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120. The spot-tail shark gets its name from the black spot at the base of its tail.
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121. The largetooth sawfish is a mix between a ray and a shark.
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122. The blind shark gets its name from its habit of closing its eyes when caught.
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123. The epaulette shark has black spots on its side, resembling military epaulettes.
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124. The whitefin dogfish is a deep-sea species of dogfish shark.
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125. The Greenland shark is known to have toxic flesh due to the presence of a natural antifreeze.
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126. The Atlantic sharpnose shark is a small, fast-swimming shark.
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127. The blue shark is known for its vibrant blue color.
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128. The bigeye thresher shark has large, upward-pointing eyes.
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