The shark suborder includes 526 representatives, some of which inhabited the planet 420 million years ago. However, not all fish of the subclass of plate-branchial, which are distinguished by their formidable appearance and impressive size, are monsters attacking at any opportunity.
Many individuals are peaceful creatures and feed exclusively on plankton. So what are the most dangerous species of sharks that live in the oceans and pose a threat to humans?
Fifth place - long-winged shark
The habitat of the 3.5-meter shark, which got its name for the long pectoral fins reminiscent of bird wings, is the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. This predator prefers to surf water open spaces alone. Its menu includes large fish, shellfish and squid. Having a great sense of smell, the sea monster not only smells prey, but also determines the location of its source. During the hunt, the shark does not know a sense of proportion - it hunts without even experiencing hunger.
Until recently, it was believed that sharks rarely approach the coastal zone and pose a danger only to shipwrecked or plane crash people who find themselves tens of kilometers from land. However, the events of recent years refute this fact. In 2010, the long-winged sharks that appeared in the water area of the Egyptian Sharm el-Sheikh attacked several tourists.The answer to the question that led the deep-sea predators to shallow water was not found.
Fourth Place - Mako
The ancestor of mako is the shark Isurus hastilus. The body length of the extinct monster that lived in the Miocene and Pliocene epoch reached 6 m, and teeth grew to 7.5 cm. The modern marine predator cannot boast of the gigantic dimensions of a prehistoric ancestor, but nevertheless brings awe to its neighbors in the water element, and person. Mako demonstrates his aggressiveness even in the womb. The jaw of the embryos is equipped with tiny beads, but sharp teeth, with which unborn babies often exterminate each other.
An elegant fish with a pointed snout and a 4-meter streamlined body is one of the most dangerous inhabitants of warm waters washing the coast of Japan, Australia, Africa, New Zealand and South America. Fearless and omnivorous, it poses a threat to living creatures of a smaller size that have appeared on its path, including humans. According to statistics, over the past 20 years, 42 attacks on people have been documented. The weapon of a fish is its speed. The attacking monster accelerates to 60 km / h and jumps out of the water to a height of 6 meters.
Third place - tiger shark
You can recognize a fierce predator by the presence of dark gray transverse stripes adorning its 4.5-meter body. The range of the tiger shark is the coastal zone of Central America, the islands of Oceania, Australia, Africa, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. Marine nomads are also found in the warm waters of the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea.They go fishing mainly at night, and during the day they prefer to bask in the sun, swimming close to the beaches.
This huge fish does not specialize in certain prey. Its menu is striking in variety and includes any organic food. A toothy thunderstorm of oceans easily splits the tortoise shell, catches sea snakes, birds, dolphins and seals. She does not disdain the carrion and edible scum of ship's galleys. In the stomachs of the captured tiger sharks were found objects that had nothing to do with food: shoes, elements of anchor chains, bottles and car tires. A hungry hunter indiscriminately rushes at moving and stationary objects. A swift attack leaves the victim no chance. 3-5 tiger shark attacks on humans are recorded annually in the world.
Second place - white shark
The “Queen of the Seas” is the legendary predator, whose body length varies from 4.6 to 5 meters. The owner of five rows of teeth and keen eyes, able to see in pitch darkness, hunts off the coast of water spaces of subtropical and tropical latitudes. The attack tactics are thought out to the smallest detail: a white shark tracks down prey and inflicts numerous bites, repeating the attack over and over again. According to unofficial sources, from 20 to 30 attacks per person are recorded annually.
In addition to well-developed hearing, vision and smell, representatives of the large shark family have another natural gift - electroreception - the ability to perceive changes in magnetic and electric fields.It is impossible to hide from underwater hunters. Ferocious creatures unmistakably find even a victim buried in the sand, reacting to the beating of her heart and the movement of the gills. White sharks are most sensitive to vibrations. For this reason, you will not find the mistress of the seas in any oceanarium of the world. The constant vibrations, noise and radiation of the instruments violate the delicate sensory perception of fish.
The most dangerous species of sharks
The most dangerous species of sharks is the bull (blunt) shark. In the body of males, a huge amount of testosterone is produced - the hormone of aggression, which causes unreasonable rage. The bull shark owes its name to physique. White-bellied torso of gray color 2.5-4 m long and weighing up to 200 kg ends with a large head with a short square muzzle. The hunter looks at the world with small evil eyes, impressive jaws are decorated with triangular teeth arranged in several rows. Aggressive creatures inhabit the tropical and subtropical waters of the oceans. In search of prey, they can swim in the temperate zone.
Over the past 155 years, 104 bull shark attacks on humans have been recorded. The greatest danger to humans is that marine aggressors have the ability to adapt to fresh water. There are documented facts of the appearance of predators in the Mississippi, Amazon, Ganges, Zambezi, Nicaragua and Michigan lakes. Since these sharks prefer to settle in muddy ponds, their attacks go unnoticed until the last seconds.
A date with the most dangerous species of sharks - long-winged, mako, tiger, white and bull - can turn into an irreparable tragedy. Fortunately, ichthyologists argue that the encounter between humans and sharks is more a phenomenon than a pattern. But in order to avoid even the slightest chance of encountering huge fish, lovers of swimming, tanning and surfing should refuse to travel to resorts in the waters of which sea monsters are found. Among unsafe beaches are the shores of the Hawaiian Islands, California, Florida, Australia and South Africa.
