Friday, August 15, 2014

Weird Shark # 8: Bull Shark



These sharks look even more "normal" in shark terms, than do Nurse Sharks, but they can do one thing very well that most other sharks cannot:  they can survive (probably) indefinitely in freshwater.  This makes them the largest in terms of girth and teeth sharks that can do this.  Many very large Sawfish, some reaching 20 ft., can also do this, but they are rare and not nearly as deadly.  Glyphis, or so called River Sharks, live almost entirely in brackish and freshwater environments, and they are amongst the rarest wildlife on the planet and relatively small animals.  Bull sharks are, of course, found abundantly in salt water the world over; but this shark, the one that I really grew up with, is super abundant in Florida waters, and that includes it's river systems.  Additionally they have differential feeding habits--they are mostly loners, but can "school" and do.  Finally male bull sharks have the highest testosterone levels of any animal on the planet--so that's weird too.

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