The Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus and species for the Bull Shark are as follows: Animalia, Chordata, Chondrichthyes, Carcharhiniformes, Carcharhinidae leucas (Simpfender & Burgess). The taxonomy of every living thing is different, so the classification of the Bull Shark is the one way worldwide to know exactly what animal is being referred to because one animal may have many different common names. Carcharhinus leucas is referred to by many different common names around the world for example the spanish it Tiburon Sarda, the french call it Requin Bouledogue, in Africa they refer to it as Van Rooyen's Shark, in Australia it is referred to as the Swan River Whaler, and that is only a few of the Bull Sharks many common names (Curtis). …show more content…
In warmer waters Bull Shark mating occurs year-round while mating females usually receive mating scars on their dorsum, “the back or outer surface of an organ…” (“dorsum”). They typically carry from one to thirteen pups at one time for ten to eleven months. When the female Bull Sharks gives birth it gives birth to free swimming, live young in their nursery grounds that are again, in areas with low salinity and shallow waters (Curtis). The Pups that survive will be around 56 to 81 centimeters long at birth, and grow approximately to be around 340 centimeters when fully matured (Simpfender & Burgess). Female Bull Sharks are typically larger than males when fully grown and mature; the lifespan for both males and females is around 16 years (Curtis). Females on average are around 180 to 230 centimeters long and 285 pounds, and males on average are around 157 to 226 centimeters and 209 pounds, but the biggest known Bull Shark was reported to be 11.5 feet and 500 pounds (Simpfender and Burgess; Curtis). “Bull sharks are pale to dark grey [on their dorsal, and fade] to white on their [ventral, but on] younger individuals the fins have black …show more content…
But occasionally the younger sharks are preyed on by bigger sharks that do not necessarily have to be Bull sharks they can be become prey to any larger species of shark and occasionally a crocodile. However there are parasites like Pandarus sinuatus, and Periscopus dentatus that use the surface of the shark’s skin and use it to survive (Curtis). Though that does not in anyway decrease or increase the economic uses for the bull shark, its effects on the environment, or level of danger to humans. In certain places around the world the amount of bull sharks is decreasing slightly, because sharks can be harvested to make fish food, for their meat, for oils, and their fins for shark fin soup, or in asia their skin can be used to make “good leather” (“Bullshark”; Curtis). Even though their numbers are thought to be decreasing according to the International Shark Attack Files, otherwise known as the ISAF, has reported that there have been at least 70 reported unprovoked attacks on humans of which 17 were fatal, but that is only the known number of the reported attacks by bull sharks there most likely have been many more attacks that went unreported (“Bullshark”; Curtis). They are known for being one of “the most dangerous sharks in the world” because they along side the tiger shark,and great white they are the most common sharks to attack a human
Sharks have also been subjected to medical research, games and competitions, jewellery, souvenirs and cosmetics. We need to take into consideration that sharks play a vital role in the natural world that we live in. it is imperative that we look after these majestic creatures and ensure they remain protected. We need to be aware of the dangers of sharks, swim in protected areas where there are shark nets, and do not swim after dark in the sea (especially not alone) as the sea is the sharks home. Humans should also be wearing wet suits as protection in the ocean. The sea is where they live, they swim freely and they eat – they do not particularly target humans but rather prey on food that is available to them in their habitat.
The bull shark may be responsible for many shark attacks in the world but I believe that we have no right to kill them. Sharks are very important to animals food cycles and if the food cycles get messed up it can greatly effect the world. In fact, the bull shark is more vulnerable to human impact due to their ability to live in fresh and salt water but many sharks that are killed are for either shark fin soup or their liver oil. The sharks liver oil has many uses now but it started as a machine lubricant. Another way that sharks die is by recreational fishing. The sharks can get caught up in the fishermen's nets and eventually suffocate and die. As an environmental community, I feel like we need to inform people about shark habits and how to keep sharks safe. The water is their home and we are
presence of a cartilage skeleton, nine gill slits (turning into five gill slits in sharks, where the first four became the jaw), and fins. Sharks belong to the class Chondrichthyes—a more elaborated organism. Jaws derived from the first four gill slits, spiral valve, and productive fins. The fins are amongst the most important advancements made by the sharks.
Sharks have been on this earth for nearly 450 billion years. To put that into perspective, the first modern humans date back to about 60,000 years ago ("Our Mission: To save Sharks and Mantas”). Since then, both humans and sharks have evolved into the predatory mammals they are today. However, with the quick development of humans, civilization and technology, humans have not been able to fully understand the ways of sharks, although the motives of other human celebrities have been easy to understand and decipher. Because shark attacks have been becoming more televised, and sharks have been known to be more of a “threat” to humans, shark research foundations, such as the Shark Research Institute and the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation, have been created to help give an understanding to these creatures. Over 100 million sharks are being killed each year, and there is a counter on the Bite-Back Shark and Marine Conservation website. As one spends more time on the home page, the number on the counter is constantly increasing, showing how many sharks are slaughtered in the year to come (“Bite-Back – Shark and Marine Conservation”). Even with research to show that sharks are valuable to the ocean and vulnerable, there are people that think otherwise (“The Pelagic Shark ...
A great white shark can get anywhere from 12 inches to 60 feet long! They can also weigh anywhere from 150 lbs. to 3000 lbs. There is no difference between males and females. Great whites have six senses. Sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing and an Electro-Reception they get through the nose to communicate with other sharks! They can swim up to 35 mph and have 3,000 teeth in several rows.
Portrayed as the beast of the sea, the shark species is a cold blooded animal that shows great diversity in size. The largest of the sharks measure up to 13.7 m, while the smallest of the species range from 22-to-25 cm (Ellis 1976). Typically, these creatures of the sea have a fusiform body, that is composed of cartilage, which is capable of reducing drag and the amount of energy needed to swim (Ellis 1976). Their countershade coloration allows the species to blend in with both the dark depths and the light surfaces of the sea (Ellis 1976). These beautiful dwellers of the sea also possess rigid fins that are supported by cartilaginous rods. All together the shark has five different types of fins: the paired pectoral fins, are used to lift the shark as it swims, the paired pelvic fins stabilize the shark, the one or two dorsal fins also stabilize the shark, a single anal fin provides stability in species where it is present, however not all sharks have the anal fin, and the caudal fin which propels the shark (Lineaweaver and Backus 1970). The sharks head structure consist of lateral eyes, a ventral external nose, and a mouth that is ventrally located at the tip of the snout. Some species possess an eyelid like structure called a nictitating membrane, which helps in protecting the eye from being injured when prey are thrashing around, and a nasal barber, which are sensory projections near the nasal (Lineaweaver and Backus 1970). In the mouth, teeth are modified, enlarged placoid scales. Having numerous rows of teeth attached at their bases by connective tissue, sharks have rows of replacement teeth that are continually developed behind the outer row. As the functio...
Even though humans get injured and occasionally killed by sharks, this is much more uncommon than many people think. In the video, "Great White Predator," it states, "[Sharks] mainly eat one thing: seals," (“National Geographic”). Shark attacks are much less likely to occur than people may think. In fact, Peter Benchley says, "Around the world many, many more people die every year from bee stings, snakebites, falling off ladders, or drowning in bathtubs than from shark attack[s]," (“Great White Sharks”). People have a greater chance of dying while doing everyday chores than from sharks.
’’They are gray-brown to olive-green on top with off-white undersides,and they have heavily serrated,triangular teeth’’(National Geographic ‘’Hammerhead Sharks’’ 1).These are the usual colors of sharks. When you visualize a shark,the shark you would see would most likely resemble a bull shark. ’’They they almost resemble tiger sharks,and the problem is that tiger sharks are even more dangerous than bull sharks. To be honest,if you have to be extremely afraid of one species of shark,then it would probably be the bull shark. ’’Among the most likely sharks to attack humans,bull sharks favor shallow coastal waters-the same places humans prefer to swim’’(National Geographic ‘’Bull Shark’’ 1).This means that the bull shark would be the most feared by humans because they swim in the same places that humans swim.
Sharks kill an average of about 12 humans per year. Humans kill an average of about 11,417 sharks per hour. Unfortunately, that number may not stop growing unless action is taken. Shark slaughter is becoming an ever expanding issue that could have devastating effects if it is not stopped. As a result of a tremendous increase of demand in shark fins in recent years, sharks are being finned and thrown back into the water where they are left to suffer an excruciating death which can take days to occur. Not only is the act cruel, but it also disrupts the natural ecosystem and may cause irreparable damage. Due to all of these effects, shark slaughter needs to be stopped, sooner than later.
In 2015 only 59 shark attacks have occurred around the world compared to the millions of sharks killed by humans every year. Due to these accidental shark attacks people tend to think that sharks, especially Great Whites are evil creatures with malice intentions when attacks do occur; but, on the contrary that is wrong. Sharks are not the only beautiful and unique creatures in the ocean, they also play a vital role in our ecosystem; however, due to human interference they might not be around much longer, through awareness sharks can be protected from endangerment.
When most people hear the word "shark", the image of a vicious killing machine pops into their head. They picture something out of the movie Jaws, where a massive Great White shark terrorizes an entire beach and eats dozens of people. However, this fictional story is nothing more than Hollywood entertainment. In the real world, the tables are turned. Humans are the ones who kill sharks, and not just by the dozens. It has been estimated that over 100 million sharks are killed every year by humans (http://www.iflscience.com). Some estimates claim that the actual number of sharks killed every year could be as high as 273 million (http://www.iflscience.com). In this research paper, I will inform you of the many ways that sharks are being killed,
Thesis: Sharks should be conserved because they are an important part of the ocean, attacks are often incidental, and human behavior influences the behavior of sharks.
They are creatures that have no clue what we are and are afraid of us. Every year, thousands of more people are killed by other people than by sharks; thousand more people are killed in car accidents than by sharks, and more people are killed by lightning strikes than by sharks. Each year humans kill tens of thousands of sharks, yet, there are fewer than 100 shark attacks upon humans. For example, The Great White shark also known as the man-eater, has the greatest reputation for attacking humans. Recent studies of Great Whites show that they mainly feed on sea-mammals. Seen from below the surface a person swimming with a shark looks much like a seal, with arms and legs sticking out. The shark usually surprises its victim, being a person or seal, by one massive bite, and then retreats in order to allow the victim to die before digesting the food. For this reason, many humans survived the attack of a Great White shark if they are saved before being eaten. Not only getting out of the water and be safe, but the result of loss, blood or
The morphology of whale sharks is mostly similar to aquatic fish species, but many specific traits help differentiate them from the rest. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world and can reach a size of around 20 meters (Martins, C., and C. Knickle). This is often compared to the size of a school bus. The shark has a very large transverse mouth. They have 5 very large gill slits and have a larger first dorsal fin compared to the second one (Whale Shark). They have a distinctive spotted “checkerboard” pattern with stripes (Martins, C., and C. Knickle). It is not exactly known why they have this specific body marking. It is believed that the body markings act as a camouflage. The strange thing about whale sharks is that they have 300 rows of teeth that play no role in feeding (Martins, C., and C. Knickle).
It is largely speculated that the ratio of male to female whale sharks dictates the structure of their mating system (Martin 2007). Rhincodon typus are oviparous, giving birth to young and have been documented to carry up to 300 embryos at one time. Female whale shark’s will give birth to numerous batches of pups in short succession and may rest up to a year after giving birth before mating again. The large size of the litter and rate of birth suggests a very high rate of neonatal mortality. Young pups will stay with their mother for an undetermined amount of time until they are large enough to fend for themselves (Stevens 2006).