THE GOLDEN NEWS. Nº 09. 2018/2019

[THE GOLDEN NEWS] 30 de noviembre de 2018
ANIMAL FACTS IV. SHARKS
Although sharks have a reputation as destructive beasts that
attack almost anything that enters their water habitat, the
actual number of shark attacks is probably lower than you imagine.
There are many different types of sharks including the great white shark,
hammerhead shark, bull shark, tiger shark and mako, they all offer varied and interesting
information so read on and enjoy our cool shark facts.
- Sharks do not have a single bone in their bodies. Instead they have a skeleton made up
of cartilage; the same type of tough, flexible tissue that makes up human ears and noses.
- Some sharks remain on the move for their entire lives. This forces water over their
gills, delivering oxygen to the blood stream. If the shark stops moving then it will
suffocate and die.
- Sharks have outstanding hearing. They can hear a fish thrashing in the water from as
far as 500 metres away!
- If a shark was put into a large swimming pool, it would be able to smell a single drop
of blood in the water.
- Although most species of shark are less than one meter long, there are some species
such as the whale shark, which can be 14 metres long.
- A pup (baby shark) is born ready to take care of itself. The mother shark leaves the
pup to fend for itself and the pup usually makes a fast get away before the mother
tries to eat it!
- Not all species of shark give birth to live pups. Some species lay the egg case on the
ocean floor and the pup hatches later on its own.
- Great whites are the deadliest shark in the ocean. These powerful predators can race
through the water at 30 km per hour.
- Unlike other species of shark, the great white is warm-blooded. Although the great
white does not keep a constant body temperature, it needs to eat a lot of meat in
order to be able to regulate its temperature.
- A shark always has a row of smaller teeth developing behind its front teeth. Eventually
the smaller teeth move forward, like a conveyor belt, and the front teeth fall out.
6TH LEVEL OF PRIMARY
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