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COMMON MİSCONCEPTİONS ABOUT SHARKS

COMMON MİSCONCEPTİONS ABOUT SHARKS

Common Misconceptions About Sharks

Sharks are among the most fabulous, most researched and most fascinating, but also among the most misconceived creatures in the ocean... We have compiled in this post, the most common myths and facts you will come across about these fascinating creatures that have been existing on the Earth for an average of four hundred million years - longer than trees!

Some common misconceptions about sharks...

False: Sharks are aggressive animals that often attack humans.

Unfortunately, this is the most common misconception about sharks that many people still believe to be true...Imposed by the media and through popular movies this perception has been the main reason why many people today think that these creatures are monsters. Did you know that more people are killed each year by dogs, deer and even cows than by sharks? The fact is that only a few of more than 400 known species of sharks can be dangerous to humans. Sharks feed mostly on other fish and sea creatures and the few biting incidents are mostly caused by sharks mistaking humans for the other sea creatures they prey on or only out of curiosity.

False: Shark's fins will grow again over time if they are cut off.

Sharks have no such ability. Unfortunately, if sharks are left into the water with their fins cut off they end up either drowning or bleeding to death or being eaten by other sharks.

False: Sharks have to swim without stopping for their entire lifespan.

It's true that many shark species have to swim non-stop to let water pass through their gills for respiration. However, this is not the case for all shark species. In fact, some species can continue respiration by pumping water through their gills while resting on the bottom of the ocean without moving.

False: Sharks can smell a drop of blood from miles away.

This is the most common misconception about sharks along with the first one and it's also the most common one that is most likely to be the result of the myth that sharks are man-hunting predators with an aggressive nature. Yet, sharks actually have a highly developed sense of smell; however, this doesn't necessarily mean they can instantly smell a drop of blood in the ocean from miles away. Some species have very sensitive sense of smell enough to detect presence of blood from an average distance of 400 to 500 meters, however, it is not very likely that this smell will reach them instantly and trigger their instinct to attack.

False: Sharks don't get cancer.

Unfortunately, this not true. Although the scientific community has been aware of this fact for many years, many people around the world have continued to believe that these animals are extraordinarily immune to cancer. It can be said that the absence of any documented cases of cancer in sharks also led this misconception to perpetuate. However in 2013, the myth was officially busted when a great white shark was photographed with a large tumor on its lower jaw.

Get to Know Sharks Closer!

Visit İstanbul Akvaryum to learn more about sharks and to see these magnificent creatures up close and swim with them if you wish!

Shark species in our aquarium:

Sand Tiger Shark

Lemon Shark

Guitar Shark

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