Animal Facts > Sharks

Sharks are a group of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton, a streamlined body plan, and rows of replaceable teeth in its mouth.

Sharks have a keen sense of smell being able to detect as little as one part per million of blood in seawater. They are even more attracted to chemicals found in the gut of of many species and often linger around sewage outfalls.

Unlike most fish that have gas-filled swim bladders, the shark relies on a oil-filled liver that causes limited bouyancy. This difference causes a resting shark to sink to the ocean floor.

There are over 360 species of sharks in our oceans. They range in size from the hand-sized Pygmy Shark to the largest of all the fish the Whale Shark at approximately 49 feet in length.