Discovery Channel Uncovers 10 Facts You Need to Know Before Shark Week
The famous, suspenseful beat of Steven Spielberg’s classic shark film, JAWS (1975), may be the only thing that warned you of a shark’s approach, but you have to admit, the interest for sharks can definitely last a lifetime. With an added curiosity on how these sea predators actually detect the scent of blood on water, we can only imagine how Discovery Channel’s long-running Shark Week has satisfied the bloodlust and curiosity of shark lovers around the globe.
Now, Philippine Primer is delighted to be the bearer of good news as Discovery Channel gives you facts to feast upon while waiting for the 30th anniversary of the much-awaited Shark Week series on July 23!
They don’t like you. Not really.
Astonishingly, sharks, specifically Great White Sharks, do not like how humans were formed: with too many bones. And it is not only because of their slow digestive system. For them, the human body just does not taste quite up to their palate.
Great White Shark./ IMAGE Discovery Channel
And they have a better set of teeth than humans do.
While humans need to use a good brand of toothpaste with the right amount of fluoride for a set of whiter teeth, sharks teeth are already enveloped with fluoride, protecting them from cavities. What else do sharks have that humans don’t?
IMAGE Sciencing.com
Sharks have hidden, special abilities too!
As if some mutation come alive, sharks can heal fast due to their continuous shedding of body parts and their “anti-bacterial” characteristic. Because of this, studies on shark skin are being conducted to know if they can be effectively used for treating infections.
IMAGE Medical Device and Diagnostics Industry
Hammerheads can see you wherever you go
The Hammerheads are perhaps the most eccentric of the family of sharks due to their oddly shaped head. However, they can also be the most interesting due to their 360-degree vision which gives them excellent “depth perception“.
Hammerhead Shark/ IMAGE Discovery Channel
They can easily spot you when you move.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not only through blood that sharks track their prey. They also do it through movements which spur electromagnetic fields, easily detected by the electroreceptors around their mouths. So try not to make unnecessary movements, unless it’s a matter of life and death; in which case, swim!
Tiger Shark/ IMAGE Atlas Obscura
And when they are the ones who don’t move? They die.
However funny this might sound, it is not. It reminds of death in captivity as one that happened in 2016, when a Great White was held captive in an aquarium and died after three days. Whatever the circumstance, some species of shark, can drown when not moving.
IMAGE Science News for Students
But Great Whites can be prey too.
Yes, you heard that right. While the species live up to their name and brings up nightmares with their size, Great Whites serve as a sumptuous dinner for Orcas – the largest of the dolphin clan and the true apex predator of the seven seas.
However, they can also be great lovers. Or so they say.
Do you remember sharks’ fluoride-coated teeth? The male sharks sink those into the woman’s thick skin while they mate.
IMAGE Nick Calovianis/National Geographic
Some species give birth to ‘Mermaids’.
They are not Mermaids per se, but sharks give birth to what is termed as “Mermaid purses”. They are fertilized egg cases cast into the ocean to grow on their own.
IMAGE KidZone.ws
They are older than the equally (if not more) formidable than T-Rex
Sharks stood the test of time as they lived even before the dinosaurs, some 400 million years ago. If we need a better proof that they are one of the world’s most marvelous creatures, this would be it.
IMAGE Culturacientifica.com
Shark Week first came to life in 1988 and continues to amaze viewers with an exciting series of untold stories about sharks. The program also debunks myths about the species. Today, Shark Week still has a steady stream of viewers, with a record 5 million who reportedly watched Shark Week 2017’s “Phelps VS. Sharks”. Despite issues of sensationalism, the program has no intention of wavering.
Someone didn't read the fin* print of his Shark Week agreement. 🦈😬 (Looking at you Shaquille O' Neal 👀)
Shark Weekさんの投稿 2018年6月20日水曜日
So watch out for the 30th anniversary of Shark Week on July 23 to 29 at 8:10 pm on Discovery Channel.
Sources: Discovery Channel Press Release, Great White Shark, American Museum of National History, Delaware Online, The Wrap, Business Insider, Independent.co.uk
