Archive for September 2010
Pacific sleeper shark
Posted on: September 17, 2010
Above the Pacific sleeper shark
1. The Pacific sleeper sharks eats north pacific giant octopus and they are also known to feed on bottom-dwelling teleost fishes as well as soles, flounders, pollocks, rockfish, shrimps, hermit crabs and even marine snails. But larger Pacific sleeper sharks are found to feed on fast swimming prey such as squids, Pacific salmon and harbor porpoises. The Pacific sleeper shark seems to broaden as they increase in size. For example a 3.7 ft female shark found off Trinidad, California was found to have fed mostly on Giant Squid. A 12 foot female caught off the coast of Chile had a whole Southern Rightwhale Dolphin in its stomach. Sleeper sharks found in Alaskan waters from 6.5 to 10 feet seem to feed mostly on flounder, pollock, and cephalopods, while sleeper sharks 11 to 14 feet long seem to consume teleosts and cephalopods, as well as marine mammals. It is one of two creatures along with the Sperm Whale that feeds on mature giant squid and colossal squid. Since the 7 m (23 ft) shark might have problems catching and devouring a 12 to 14 m (39 to 46 ft) squid, it is believed that the shark may feed on squid carcasses rather than live squid. However, it is also entirely possible that it may be able to catch live squid that are either sick or malnourished, given the squid’s reduced ability to fight back under such circumstances.
2. There is very little known about the early life of Pacific sleeper sharks. Pacific sleeper sharks are believed to produce eggs that hatch inside the female’s body but gestation time is unknown and litter sizes are thought to be about 300. Its length at birth is approximately 42 centimeters (1.38 ft) or less.
3. Pacific sleeper sharks are reported to reach lengths of up to 25 feet. The average size is 12 feet and 700 to 800 pounds. The largest reported captured Pacific sleeper shark is 4.4 m (14 ft), although accepts that it could possibly reach 7 m. In 1989, an enormous Pacific sleeper shark was attracted to a bait in deep water outside Tokyo Bay, Japan and filmed. The shark was estimated by Eugenie Clark to be about 7 m (23 ft) long.
All of this info is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_sleeper_shark
Elephant shark
Posted on: September 15, 2010
Above the Elephant shark
1. Elephant sharks goes by many names include: Australian ghost shark, Makorepe, whitefish, plownose chimaeras or elephant fish. And is nothing like the freshwater elephant fish.
2. It is found off southern Australia and south of East Cape and Kaipara Harbour in New Zealand.
3. At depths of 200 meters to 500 meters.
4. Their length is between 60 and 120 centimeters. Males of this species mature at about 65 centimeters.
5. During spring, adults migrate inshore to estuaries and bays where mating takes place and the females lay their eggs on sandy or muddy substrates. The eggs are contained in large yellowish capsules. The gestation period is six to eight months.
6. Elephant sharks during spring and summer when they migrate into shallow coastal waters. The white flesh fillets of elephant shark are very popular with ‘fish-and-chips’ restaurants in New Zealand and Australia.
7. The elephant shark has three cone pigments for color vision.
All of this info is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_ghost_shark
Sharpnose sevengill shark
Posted on: September 12, 2010
Above the Sharpnose sevengill shark
1. The sharpnose sevengill shark is uncommon but widely distributed in the tropical and temperate regions of all oceans except for the northeastern Pacific Ocean. This species usually captured at a depth of 300–600 m (980–2,000 ft) or down to 1,000 m (3,300 ft). But is occasionally found close to the surface but they many have been mistaking with another shark. It is mainly found on the outer continental shelf and upper continental slope and may aggregate around seamounts.
2. Usually measuring 60–120 cm (2.0–3.9 ft) long. Sharpnose sevengill sharks attain a maximum length of 1.4 m (4.6 ft).
3. The sharpnose sevengill shark is ovoviviparous which mean they give birth to live young with no apparent reproductive season. The females give birth to litters of 9-20 pups the newborns measure about 26 cm (10 in) long. Males mature at 75–85 cm (2.46–2.79 ft) long and females at 90–100 cm (3.0–3.3 ft).
4. Small to moderate numbers of sharpnose sevengill sharks are captured as by catch in certain deep-water commercial fisheries on longlines or in trawls.They are utilized for fish-meal and liver oil the meat is said to be of good quality but reported to be mildly poisonous. When captured it is very active and quick to bite but it does not poses a threat to people due to its small size. There is some concern that populations of this slow-reproducing species may be declining in areas of sustained deep-water fishing and it has been assessed as Near Threatened by the World Conservation Union. It has occasionally been kept in captivity in Japan.
All of this info is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heptranchias_perlo
The mystery behind the monster
Posted on: September 12, 2010
Contents:
Chapter 1 The sharks we think we know
Chapter 2 Shark attacks what are they thinking
Chapter 3 Why do they attack and why are some attacks fatal
Chapter 4 The way they are made
Chapter 5 The future of the sharks
Chapter 6 Do they trick us and are they really scared of us
Chapter 7 Is there a bigger monster still living today
Chapter 8 Some still live with us today
Chapter 9 Why do they find human body parts inside the sharks
Chapter 10 So much mystery
Chapter 11 We are the real monsters not the sharks
Introduction:
For years sharks have been known to attack people and leave them to die from blood loss. But can we prevent shark attacks from ever happening. It is time to uncover the mystery behind the monster.
Chapter 1 – The sharks we think we know
They all say shark attacks are rare but when they do happen most people don’t make it out alive. And the lucky ones that do. Well let’s just say that they are having a good day. Sharks have been around for 420 million years before the time of the dinosaurs. They are made to kill or be killed.
Some sharks attacks are that bad that the whole world knows about them. Like the 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks. Most said that there was a rogue killer shark out there. Some say it was a great white shark or it was a bull shark. But we will never know for sure what kill those people. And is there one out there right now just waiting and watching us. Or are all sharks like that but just waiting for us to enter the water again.
There are so many mysteries behind the monsters that we call the shark. But what makes them hunt humans. Is it by mistake or do we taste or look good for them to attack and sometimes eat us.
Can we ever stop or predict a shark attack. If we can how can we stop a prehistoric killing and eating machine. Everyone wants to know what they are thinking when they attack. Well we ever understand how smart they are.
Chapter 2 – shark attack what are they thinking
Everyone hears about a man losing his leg or a woman losing her arm but sharks have been seen eating it. If they say they hate the taste of are blood then why was their human body parts found inside the stomach of a tiger shark. Sharks are smarter than we think they are. The reason why shark attacks happen is they mistake us for seals. But is that really true or is it just to keep the people calm. But the most common shark to attack is the Great white and the Bull shark or the Tiger shark. It is instinct to attack anything that looks like food. One attack by a tiger shark and the person was missing for a day but the next day they found the body but the tiger shark saw them come to get the body but before they could get the body from the water the tiger shark. Eat the leftovers from the person body right in front of them. So sharks can eat us and they must guard their food like crocodile does. (See chapter nine for more about this attack)
Many sharks have been found with heads and arms from humans in their stomach. There is many myths about sharks like sharks have bad vision or they hate humans blood.
Chapter 3 – Why do they attack and why are some attacks fatal
Well first I will let you know sharks a made to kill. But when they go to attack anything can happen. When sharks attack they go for the legs so that there prey can not swim away. And then they come back to see if there prey is dead or it will wait to the prey has died from blood loss. And then eat it. But most people take a wave back to shore or someone helps them and that is how most people live to tell the story. But with seals that is a different story. Once the shark has taking it’s back half of its body it can it swim away. And the reason why Great white sharks. Attack humans is that is shows a little interest in human blood.
Not all sharks like human blood but some sharks do. And that is why human body parts are found inside a shark’s stomach. But can we ever change the sharks thinking that human blood is better. But they have trouble eat us because we have so many bones. But I think so many sharks are going to get extinct because of over fishing and global warming. But will sharks get bigger and smarter so they can live to another day or to out live humans. If the north and the south poles melt the sea levels will rise. I think sharks will grow bigger then they are now. Like prehistoric sharks were because there was not ice and the oceans were warmer and there was more places for them to go and more food.
Chapter 4 – The way they are made
Most shark have a few lays of skin but female sharks have a lot more lays of skin. And Great white shark and maybe other shark can live or past throw cold water because they have like a heater in their body to keep them warm. And the Bull shark can live in both salt and fresh water. They have been around for millions of year so you have to understand that they are made for the time of the dinosaurs. So they had to be smart to out live the dinosaurs.
They can grow very big. One great white was caught off Hualien County, Taiwan on May 14, 1997. It was reportedly almost 7 m (23 ft) in length with a mass of 2,500 kilograms (5,500 lb). And I think if one is big there must be more out there. But if they are 3 ft or 30 ft they will always be made for the kill. Is it time for the sharks to come to an end. Like so many before them.
Above the biggest Great white shark ever caught (1)
Chapter 5 – The future of the sharks
Maybe they will come to an end but we will never know. Maybe they will change to a bigger monsters. Like in history before something dies out they will kill and eat anything to live another day.
Animals can tell if a disaster is about to happen. The world is changing and not all animals will live and most will die but mother nature has plans for us and animals.
But for sure sharks will go to extreme ways to survive. Sharks have their prehistoric instinct in them just because it was so long ago does not mean they have forgotten how to grow so big and have big teeth and kill anything that moves to live another day. And that is what I think will happen. This will happen. When I do not know.
Chapter – 6 Do they trick us or are they really scared of us
Some say yes they are scared of us but I say no if they are scared of us why do they attack us. And why are they so curious about us. Are we their food or are they planing something.
Yes they would be scared when humans hurt or kill them. But before humans killed sharks. Sharks would sometimes work together to get their prey or does it just look that way. The shark that we fear the most live alone. But are they changing so their species will not go extinct or have they always live like this.
Chapter – 7 Is there a bigger monster still living today
Above the Megalodon and the Great white shark (2)
We all know that the Great white shark is the first thing we think of when we enter the water. But is there a bigger shark out there still living deep down in the oceans around the worlds. I am thinking about the Megalodon. It was the biggest shark that has ever lived. But there is a lot of sightings of a big monster. Is it the blue whale or is it a prehistoric shark that lives deep down. There was two most famous sightings of Megalodon.
Once in 1918 where a few crayfishermen where working everyday in and underwater. But one day they saw something so big that they would not go back to work for several days. One of the crew said it was three hundred feet (90 m) long at least. But the others said it was 115 feet (35 m). They were all familiar with whales which they had often seen passing at sea. The local Fisheries Inspector of the time, Mr Paton, agreed that it must have been something really gigantic to put these experienced men into such a state of fear and panic.
Many people still believe that the Megalodon still lives deep down in the oceans. But we will never know for sure if it still is alive. If it is really is alive it is a living fossil and that means there would be more like it and more prehistoric animals from its time. But it is very unlikely.
Chapter – 8 Some still live with us today
Above the Frilled shark (3)
Some sharks have not change in millions of years. Sharks that are not seen often like so prehistoric that you would think that you are looking back in time. The frilled shark has often been called a living fossil and the goblin shark looks like a prehistoric shark. And is not seen often and has two extinct related or more. The goblin shark is named a living fossil as well.
But there must be more prehistoric sharks deep down but us humans can not go down there. And most sharks do not need to came to the surface to breathe or feed and that is why we don’t know about them. And maybe one day we will know more about the lives of these sharks and maybe there will be more out there.
Below the Goblin shark (4)
Chapter – 9 Why do they find human body parts inside the shark
Well first it is what shark is attacking and how big. And are they just tasting or are we food and where they bite us. Because if it is a small shark and it got your leg you would most likely live. But if it was a 15 ft shark and got both of your legs let just say if you live to tell the story you are one lucky person. Most sharks that attack are very curious animals and can learn very fast. Like the Great white shark has a bad reputation for being a man-eating shark. But when they do bite. One bite can leave you to die from blood loss. But great white go for the legs just like they do with seals.
I think sometimes human body parts are found inside the shark’s stomach because sharks are still in an adrenaline rush and when they are in it they eat anything. And something they would not normal eat. And that is why human body parts are found inside the shark and sometimes when I shark is ever hungry yes it will eat a human. But that is very rare to find a full human body in a sharks stomach. But the only two sharks that I know of that has had human body parts in it stomach was the tiger shark and sometimes the Great white shark. But I think Tiger sharks are 2nd most dangerous shark after the Bull shark of course. But most people say that the Great white shark is the most dangerous shark. With tiger sharks their teeth are made for cutting turtles shells. When tiger sharks eat they become aggressive feeding and eat anything. Sometimes license plates, oil cans, tires and baseballs. It is known as the ocean’s garbage can.
Above a Tiger shark (5)
In October 14, 1989 a man named Ray Mehl Jr. Was attacked by a Tiger shark when he was scuba diving with a partner. About 750 feet (230 m) from shore at a depth of 27 feet (8.2 m). At Kahe Point, Oahu, Hawaii. The victim had been in the water for 10–15 minutes before vanishing around 4:30 p.m. His partner conducted a search of the area but could not locate Mehl. The following morning a decapitated body was spotted by rescue divers 200 feet (61 m) west of Mehl’s last known location but before it could be retrieved a large Tiger shark suddenly appeared and proceeded to devour what remained of the body. Mehl’s partner noted that parrotfish had been exhibiting “unusual behavior” just prior to his disappearance.
And the Bull shark is known for its aggressive behavior. And it can live both in fresh and salt water. Once a Bull shark attacks it will not let anything go. In 1916 there was five attacks on humans and only one lived. Now we believe the attacks where most likely from a Bull shark and maybe a Tiger shark and one attack was from a great white shark. Shark attacks victims will all say that it is like a train or a track hit them and they get shaken from side to side like a doll. But most Bull sharks or Tiger sharks victims will not live to tell the story.
Above the Bull shark (6)
Chapter – 10 So much mystery
There is still lots of mystery behind sharks and some we many never know. Like why do they only attack one person when there is many people in the water. And why do some sharks eat fish and some eat like they are the trash can of the sea.
I hope in the future we many understand the way they work so we can both live together and we should not fear one another. Maybe we can learn a bit from them and maybe they can help us. So we can understand them better. And sharks do get cancer but they can’t help us to stop us getting cancer. I hope one day in the future we can stop the killing of sharks for there insides and outsides. Eating sharks will not stop you from getting sick. Even sharks get sick but we just don’t see them when they are sick. We only see them on tv or hear a story about an attack on a person but we are so scared of them we don’t think. Maybe that shark is sick or I hope that person over there is not fining that shark.
Chapter – 11 We are the real monsters not the sharks
When was the last time you were attack by a shark? odds are you have never been attack. And we are the ones that go in the water. Do you see any sharks walking on land? You have to ask yourself should we cut off their fins and throw then back to die a painful death. Could you stand back and watch someone have they arms and legs cut off?. With as humans if we find something that could hurt us the first thing we do is kill it. And we never think twice about it. But if someone hurt us we would ask for help and get better and fight for are life’s. So think the next time you go fishing or go to buy some sharks fin soup just think for a moment about that poor animal that was killed and we killed it so we could eat.
Is this fair on the poor animals. There have been here for millions of years and we have only be here for a few thousand years. Think of the future of the human race with war and hungry all because we don’t think of ways to save the animals to feed us for many years to come. The future of man will die out. Like so many of the animals and ancient people did before us. We will be next and animals will out live us because they have a food chain.
Author Isabella Campbell
Picture 1 is from Wikipedia
Picture 2 is from Google search
Picture 3 is from Google search
Picture 4 is from Google search
Picture 5 is from Google search
Picture 6 is from Wikipedia
Caribbean reef shark
Posted on: September 7, 2010
Above Caribbean reef shark
1. The Caribbean reef shark is found in the tropical western Atlantic Ocean and from North Carolina and in the north to Brazil in the south including Bermuda and the northern Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. It is extremely rare north of the Florida Keys.
2. The Caribbean reef shark are viviparous which means the mother gives birth to live young. Mating is aggressive some females are found with biting scars and wounds on their sides. Mating takes place from February to April. While at other locations down south females give birth during the Amazon summer in November and December.
3. The average litter size is four to six with a gestation period of one year. The newborns measure no more than 74 cm (29 in) long. Juvenile Caribbean reef sharks are preyed upon by larger sharks such as the tiger shark and the bull shark.
4. It likes shallow waters on or around coral reefs and is commonly found near the drop-offs at the reefs’ outer edges. This shark is most common in water shallower than 30 m (98 ft) but has been known to dive to 378 m (1240 feet).
5. The Caribbean reef shark it usually measures 2–2.5 m (6.5–8 ft) long the maximum recorded length is 3 m (10 ft) and the maximum reported weight is 70 kg (154 lbs).
6. The Caribbean reef shark feeds on a wide variety of reef-dwelling fish and stingrays.
7. The Caribbean reef shark is normally shy or indifferent to the presence of divers but the Caribbean reef shark has been known to become aggressive in the presence of food and can grow large to be considered sometimes dangerous. Like most sharks it is best to stay away from them. As of 2008 there has been 27 attacks from this species, 4 of them unprovoked, none fatal.
All of this info is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean_reef_shark
Prickly dogfish shark
Posted on: September 5, 2010
The Prickly dogfish shark
1. The prickly dogfish shark is a species of sleeper shark.
2. The prickly dogfish shark is found off southern Australia and New Zealand on the continental shelf at depths of between 45 and 1,000 m.
3. It reaches a length of 60 cm.
All of this info is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prickly_dogfish
Speartooth shark
Posted on: September 5, 2010
The speartooth shark
1. The speartooth shark is found in the tropical waters of the western Pacific Ocean. This little-known species has an uncertain occurrence in Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Queensland, Australia.
2. The speartooth shark is viviparous but its biology is poorly known.
3. The speartooth shark is on the endangered list.
4. It may possibly reach 3 meters (9.8 ft) long.
All of this info is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speartooth_shark
Needle dogfish shark
Posted on: September 3, 2010
1. The Needle dogfish shark is a small deep-water shark. Little is known about this shark.
2. It can be found in the northern Gulf of Mexico and the western Pacific Ocean around Honshū, Japan.
3. It has no anal fin and two dorsal fins with spines, the first dorsal fin being low and long, a moderately long snout, and a notched caudal fin.
4. The Needle dogfish shark can grow as long as 81 cm.
5. It lives below 200 meters down. And that is why a lot is not known about this little shark.
All of this info is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrophorus_acus
What i think
Posted on: September 2, 2010
I would like to write a bit about sharks and all the information I know about them. First I would to say that shark are not bad animals. And I think we need them more than we know. Because if we do not have them to clean up the oceans imagine the mess from dead fish and all the junk we put or drop in the sea. And there would be an over run of animals in the sea and when there is to many animals in one place the first thing us humans do it try to kill them. But what did mother nature do before we came along. She made animals to clean up the mess. And if we mess up earth who knows what will happen. But I think we will and when we do we will become extinct. Like so many before us. But before all this happens. There will be a big famine and lots of war. Because there will be no fish in the sea because we killed all of them. We should try to stop it now by not buying shark fin soup and stop fishing. The Japs think by eat sharks they will not get cancer. But cancer has been around way before humans came and will be around way after humans are all dead. Animals get cancer as well. I know it is a bad way to die but it is another way for us to die. There will never be a cure for cancer. Sharks have been around for millions of years. And like in earths history if one dies out a bigger and better animal comes along. So do not let that happen and if you like fish only have it one every two to three weeks. Try to save them. If all of the fish including sharks are gone. Where will be an over run of jellyfish. And jellyfish have a wired way of breeding. They would breaded like crazy because they is no fish or shark to stop them. I love sharks and knell of the animals that he has made. But I do not like all but I would never hurt them. Like most people do. And I would like to work with the sharks one day but how can I do that if there is none anywhere in the world. I have never seen a big one before. I would like to get up close but I can not do that on tv. So please everyone if you read all of this please stop and think of the future of man and most of all animals. Thanks for reading this is all by Isabella
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