What do you know about sharks?

Hollywood has made a lot of money off sharks' bad reputation as man-eaters. The Great White shark, the Bull shark and the Tiger shark have mostly been exploited by the film industry. Were these movies based on facts or fiction? Well, I would say, a bit of both. If you take the movie "Jaws", the size of the shark and its strength were definitely exaggerated. A show called "The MythBusters" on the Discovery Channel actually tested the facts of "Jaws" and labeled them as fiction. Unfortunately, that movie is partly responsible for the shark hunter's enthusiasm towards this shark specie, causing it to become endangered.

Another myth that has been considered a fact for years is: sharks are stalking their victims! Well, it couldn't be further from the truth. First of all, sharks don't eat three meals a day, like humans do. In fact, some may not eat for an entire week. Taking their prey by surprise may be a hunting strategy, but they certainly are not waiting for humans to go out for a swim and follow them around to attack them. They eat when they are hungry, unlike us. They attack when they are either provoked, if they feel threatened, or if you happen to go for the same prey.

These are only a few facts about sharks! It is merely the tip of the iceberg! If you want to learn more...keep reading!

Well, there may be sharks of all sizes, but it doesn't mean that the largest shark is the most dangerous one! You see, the Whale shark has been involved in only two shark attacks from 1580 to 2008, of which none were fatal. The same applies for the Basking shark. These two shark species are larger than the famous Great White shark.

Sharks come in all sizes! In this case, both the largest and the smallest are not known as man-eaters. The Whale shark, which can measure up to 12.65 meters (41.50 ft) and weight up to 21.5 tonnes (47,000 lbs) is a plankton eater! Humans do not represent a favorite item on its menu. As for the Dwarf Lanternshark, which measures up to 21.2 cm (8.3 in), it is much too small to devour humans and his habitat is much too deep to even see a human face in his territory.

As you can see, size does not always go with the word "shark" or the size of it!

Here are some interesting facts about sharks! Read and learn!

- Did you know the word "shark" originates from the German word "schurke" which means "villain"?

- Did you know the Portuguese shark is the species that swims in the deepest waters, reaching down to 9,000 feet or 1.5 mile?

- Did you know that a shark eats up to 2% of its body weight in food, which is a smaller portion compared to a human?

- Did you know that a Basking shark is swimming with its mouth open to feed on plankton?

- Did you know that the average swimming speed of a shark is between 5 and 6 mph, while the Shortfin Mako shark can reach up to 20 mph?

- Did you know that the average life expectancy of a shark is 25 years?

- Did you know the Dwarf Lanternshark's length can vary from 6 to 7.5 in (16 and 19 cm) depending on its gender?

- Did you know that while the average length of a Whale shark varies between 40 and 45 feet, this shark specie has been known to measure up to 65 feet or more?

- Did you know that when a shark loses a tooth, it will be replaced by a new one within 24 hours?

- Did you know that only the Lemon shark, the Nurse shark and the Bull shark don't need to move to breath, unlike other shark species?

Like all creatures on Earth, sharks have made history as well. In fact, their most famous ancestor has performed on the silver screen. You have probably guessed by now that I am talking about the Megalodon. This super-predator was not only known for his enormous size but also for its voracious appetite. Whales were on their menu as it could devour them in a few bites. Even the Great White shark would have been no match for this prehistoric creature.

The Megalodon was a known to live during the late Oligocene epoch and Neogene period, which means from 25 million to 1.5 million of years ago. The size of that super-shark ranged from 15.9 to 20.3 meters (52-67 ft) in length and from 47-103 metric tons (52-114 short tons) in weight.

Scientists believe that a decline of the oceans' temperature during the Ice Age would have caused the destruction and extinction of numerous marine plants, various fish and mammal species. The shortage of food supply caused havoc for several species and the Megalodon. After all, creatures with such dimensions had huge dietary needs, which could not be met during that time. Cannibalism was then practiced by adults of the Megalodon specie toward the juvenile ones, leading eventually to their extinction.

Unfortunately, shark attacks do occur every year, in various parts of the world. In fact, the ISAF (International Shark Attack File) has recorded shark attacks from 1580 until now. While an average of 56 shark attacks occurs each year, most could have been prevented if these safety measures would have been taken into consideration. Experts know what they are talking about so what do you have to lose by following their advice?

- Never swim alone. Sharks tend to focus on a single prey as a group is more difficult to deal with. They prefer easy targets.

- Swim close to the shore. Sharks are more comfortable in deeper water, although they can also hunt in shallow waters. Swimming close to shore makes it easier to get help and medical assistance when becoming the victim of a shark attack.

- Avoid swimming at dawn, dusk or at night. These are active feeding times for sharks.

- Don't go swimming if you are bleeding from a wound, or if you are a woman having her menstrual period. Sharks have hypersensitive olfactory senses. Blood excites them into a frenzy, and they adopt an aggressive behavior as a result.

- Don't wear any jewelry as sharks confuse them with the shiny scales of fish, considering you as a prey.

- Don't swim in fishing areas as baits will not only attract seabirds but sharks as well.

- Don't go swimming if you see porpoises, sharks are possibly in the area as they share the same eating habits.

- Stay away from steep drop-offs, murky waters and swimming between sandbars are they are popular hangouts for sharks.

- Avoid excessive splashing when swimming as it confuses sharks at it resembles the splashing of a distressed prey.

- Avoid swimming with an uneven tan or a bright colored swimsuit as sharks can see contrasts very well.

- Avoid swimming or playing in the water with your pet as excessive splashing and erratic movements attract sharks.

- Leave the water if you either see a shark or if one is spotted while you are swimming.

- And last but not least, never harass a shark!

Well, Selachophobia is a phobia based on sharks. What is a phobia? It is an uncontrollable fear based on something. It may have been triggered by a bad experience, overreacting to something that surprised you in a bad way or simply caused by a tale or a story. In this case, Selachophobia has been mainly caused by tales such as movies giving a bad reputation to sharks, such as "Jaws".

Selachophobia can cause irrational reactions in people affected by this type of phobia. While some people may simply avoid bodies of water where sharks may be present, others will even refuse to enter places like pools, aquariums and even bathtubs. This phobia can successfully be treated through therapy. It can also help some people conquer their fear.

You see, while the media go into a publishing frenzy when they write about a shark attack, they don't tell everything! While I agree that a shark attack is a terrible, sometimes tragic ordeal, I am amazed by the lack of information shared with the public on finning, as an example. You see, a person has more chances to die from a heart attack or a car accident than a shark attack. In fact, of the average 56 shark attacks on humans that occur every year, worldwide, there are approximately 4 fatalities. I am not suppressing the horror and the tragedy that it represents for the victims and their families, but I am merely trying to put matters into perspective for what I am about to share with you.

Do you know what "finning" is? It is a fishing practice that is considered to be illegal by several countries. Unfortunately, it is mainly used by several Asian countries and some Scandinavian ones. This practice is considered to be a very lucrative market. Shark fins are very popular in Asia as they are used to make the "famous" and "traditional" Shark Fin soup. A bowl of soup can cost as much as $100! Some shark species have been over-exploited, causing them to become endangered and on the brink of extinction.

In the name of "profit", humans kill an average of 100 million sharks every year! Some of them are poached, some of them are sold to aquariums, some of them are used for their meat or some body parts. You see, some people believe that shark cartilage pills and shark liver oil fight Cancer, which has not been proven yet. Some sharks accidentally drown, entangled in fishing nets. Sadly, most of them are the victims of finning.

How do they harvest the fins off the sharks? Let's see... They catch a shark with a bait or in nets. Then, they immobilize the shark or turn it onto its back, putting him into a comatose state, then they slice off all the fins, tail included, from the live shark. Do they kill the shark and use the meat? No! The carcass would take too much room, which means there would be less space for additional fins. They actually throw the poor creature overboard! The bleeding shark then sinks to the bottom of the ocean where it bleeds to death and drowns as it is unable to breath. You see, most shark species need to move in order to breath. In other situations, it is devoured by other creatures.

Well, that's humans for you! They treat sharks in the most inhumane ways possible. And to top it off, several countries refuse to ban this horrible practice or simply add some limitations to it. Now you see, what I mean when I say that sharks are the "real" victims! My hope is that one day, finning will be banned worldwide, making Shark Fin soup...history!