5 facts/ Sharks, millions of years older than dinosaurs

2023-07-23 13:59:00, Kuriozitete CNA

Sharks have scared people this summer in different areas of the globe, especially in cases of attacks on people.

However, humans are a greater threat to sharks than sharks are to humans.

There are more than 500 species of sharks.

Sharks have existed for hundreds of millions of years, and while they continue to evolve, they are also in great danger, mainly due to overfishing, CNN writes .

Shark populations declined by 71.1% between 1970 and 2018, according to a 2021 study published in the journal Nature.

Below you will find 5 interesting facts about sharks.

1. Sharks are older than trees and dinosaurs

The earliest fossil evidence of sharks dates back to 450 million years ago, meaning these creatures were around at least 90 million years before trees and 190 million years before dinosaurs.

Sharks have survived five mass extinctions, one of which wiped out an estimated 96% of all marine life.

2. Sharks can live for hundreds of years

Sharks have longer lifespans compared to other animals.

The Greenland shark is the longest known vertebrate on Earth, according to a 2016 study published in the journal Science.

3. Sharks can be good for our environment

Tiger sharks, one of Australia's top predators, can help ecosystems respond to extreme climate events.

Researchers are currently trying to determine if other shark species play a role in this phenomenon.

4. Shark pregnancies can last more than 3 years

Reproduction patterns in sharks vary.

On average, sharks are born after 11 or 12 months of gestation, but some sharks, such as the thresher shark and the basking shark, can be pregnant for more than three years.

5. Sharks do not have organs to produce sound

Sharks are mostly silent creatures, as they have no organs to produce sound.

Instead of speaking, sharks communicate through body language, such as zigzags, vibrations and jaw movements. /CNA.al/