Sharks

Sharks are amazing, majestic and important creatures for a healthy ocean ecosystem. There is no reason to be scared of sharks, but hundreds of reasons to be scared for them. We are dedicating the whole of May to these beautiful creatures here at Springbok, so enjoy our shark specials.

Ocean Ramsey: Swimming with a Great White Shark

“ In the end people will only protect what they love, and only love what they understand.” Ocean Ramsey.

Ocean Ramsey is an advanced free diver and surfer who uses pictures and videos to fight for the protection of sharks.

Enjoy this beautiful video of her swimming with a massive Great White Shark.

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Do sharks sleep?

Whether sharks sleep or not, is still a mystery, as it is very difficult to monitor them 24/7. Many sharks need permanent movement in order to breathe. They swim close to the water surface, go into a resting position and slowly sink again for some time. Hereafter, they repeat the process by slowly swimming up again in order to get into the resting position … This is their way of saving energy and getting rest – a tad similar to sleeping.

Other smaller, more bottom oriented species, who don’t need to be swimming in order to breathe e.g. the nurse or catfish sharks, simply go crash on the bottom without moving.

Sharks also have no eyelids. Their eyes are always open.

Sharks have up to 3000 teeth at one time

Sharks can have up to 3000 teeth at the time in different size and shapes depending on their purpose.

They continuously grow multiple rows of replacement teeth their whole live.

One single shark can lose up to 30,000 teeth in his live!

Watch the "Impossible" Shot Of A Great White Attack

Enjoy an amazing video from a Great White Shark jumping from a bird’s eye perspective! This impossible shot was taken for “Discovery Channel’s Shark week series” from Elissa Sursara and Trace McGinney as they scale the surface of South Africa an Galapagos in search for this shot.

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Tiger Sharks – the “garbage guts” of the seas

Tiger sharks are not picky, they seem to eat everything they find out there. Everything has already be found in a tiger shark: chicken coop, monkeys, a bag of potatoes, boots, coats … and so on and so on …. They are eating machines!

They have sizeable stomachs with a muscular wall nearly three times thicker than any other shark out there. They can cut through turtle shells with a single bite!

Bull Sharks: Bull Sharks can survive in rivers and lakes as well

Bull sharks are able to live and survive in saltwater and freshwater as well. Bull sharks have already been found in the Mississippi River. They also use this ability to give birth to their babies in freshwater areas. So the baby sharks must not fear as many other predators as in the ocean including other sharks.

Whale Sharks – the world largest fish in the ocean

Whale sharks are the biggest species of sharks and also the biggest fish in the ocean. Those gentle giants feeds on the tiniest creatures … plankton. Whale sharks can weight up to 34 tons.

Fun Fact: A whale shark birth have never been seen so far. Also mating or pupping have been seen as well.

Whale sharks are gentle, harmless and very photogenic. If you are that lucky to spot a whale shark in the ocean behave as gentle as they are.
Three things that are as big a whale shark: A basketball court, a school bus, T-Rex dinosaur

Watch this amazing video of swimming with whale sharks

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Fins of the Big White Shark are unique as fingerprints

To most of us Great White Sharks look very similar. But each one as a unique fin like humans have unique fingerprints. Identifying Sharks by their fins is used for researchers observing their behaviour and population.

 

South Africa was the first country to protect the Great White Shark

Did you know that South Africa was the first county in the world to protect the Great White Shark?

South Africa is protecting the Great White Shark since 1991, followed by Namibia (1993), USA (1997), Australia (1998) and Malta (2000).
South Africa is kind of the “living room” for the Great White Shark, which is definitely one of the most beautiful in the Shark species.