Declining numbers - Sharks grow slowly, take many years to mature and often reproduce only every other year. And sharks have only a few young per litter.

Not eating machines – Sharks eat about 2 percent of their body weight per day, slightly less than a human. Our Sand Tiger and Sandbar sharks are fed 3 times a week and only eat 2 to 4 pounds of fish per feeding.

Worried about Powerball? – Most people aren’t worried about becoming the next Powerball winner, but they do have a fear of a fatal shark attack. What are the odds?
    Killed by lightning: 1 in 450,000
    Killed by falling airplane parts: 1 in 10 million
    Winning Powerball Jackpot: 1 in 146 million
    Killed by shark: 1 in 300 million

Shark slaughter – The United Nations estimates 100 million sharks and rays are caught and killed every year. Some species have declined by as much as 80% in the past decade and some could become extinct in the next decade.

Essential to ocean life – Sharks are the top predators in the oceans, playing a vital role in maintaining the complex webs of life below them.

Lots of Pearly Whites – Most sharks have 7 rows of teeth in each jaw; and since they lose a tooth from the front row every 10-14 days, they will literally generate thousands of teeth in their lifetime to replace the lost ones.

Did You Know – Of all the shark species, 370 are cold blooded and 5 – great white, shortfin mako, longfin mako, porbeagle and salmon sharks – are warm blooded.

Sixth Sense – Sharks use an electrical sensory system located in their head as the last sensory function to zero-in on their prey. It is called ampullae of Lorenzini.

20/20 Vision – Most sharks have very good eyesight and can function in light ten times dimmer than that of the human eye. Sharks are equipped with the same low light photoreceptors found in cat’s eyes.

Keen Nose – Some sharks are able to detect odors like blood or animal tissue in concentrations as small as 1 drop in 25 gallons of water. They can also follow scent trails in water for miles.

Rough Skin – Sharks are covered with tiny scales called dermal denticles. These scales give the shark’s skin a rough, abrasive texture that is similar to sandpaper.

“S” for Swim – A shark’s powerful caudal or tail fin sweeps from side to side as the head moves in the opposite direction creating an “S” like motion. The pectoral or side fins help the shark steer. The large fin on a shark’s back is called the dorsal fin. This fin helps keep the shark steady in the water just like the keel of a boat.

Gulping Air – Most fish have a swim bladder that’s filled with air to keep them buoyant in the water. Sharks don’t have a swim bladder, but they do have a large liver filled with oils that help them remain buoyant. Our sand tiger sharks gulp air at the surface to inflate their stomach, helping them remain neutrally buoyant.