They are known as ruthless hunters and vicious killers, creatures so deadly that human encounters only seem possible within some sort of protective casing. 30 species of sharks have been known to attack humans so it’s not so difficult to understand why humans respond to sharks with a mixture of fear and admiration. But fear is not what stops us from learning more about sharks. Many species live secrete lives in some of the remotest corners of the oceans. Sharks remain among the great mysteries of the natural world.

About 30% of shark species are born from a fertilized egg sack which is deposited on the ocean floor in a strong leathery casing which gives shelter to the growing embryo. Some sharks like the hammerhead give birth to live young like humans. Some sharks have eggs that develop inside the mother’s body and then hatch. Some sharks make there home on the sea floor, while others make their homes on the upper regions. All of them are crucial in maintaining the delicate balance of the ocean ecosystem by continually weeding out weaker or injured creatures. A growing understanding of today’s present sharks gives us some information of past sharks. With little evidence preserved from their boneless ancestors, today’s sharks are studied as living fossils, adding bits and pieces to the story of how sharks evolved.

There are various types of sharks, and they are all unique. Among the sharks that live in shallow water, the southern catshark is an evolutionary oddity. It glides through the water with sinuous movements that are more reminiscent of a snake than a shark. Even stranger is the epaulette sharks which uses its fins in an action that is unique among sharks, to walk along the sea floor. Some sharks like the Wobbegongs have evolved body patterns that act as a convincing disguise. Its also referred to as the swimming carpet, the Wobbegong blends into the kelp beds where it lives. The tiger shark, a fierce hunter, has body patterns that mimic the ripples of the ocean water.