Shark Week is back. The annual fan favorite is a week long television series aimed at educating and sharing shark stories. As Shark Week kicks off we decided to take a look at these scary, yet thrilling creatures to see what sharks eat and how it differs from us humans.
While many humans are conditioned to consume 2-3 meals a day, sharks do not typically eat everyday. In fact, sharks can go days, weeks and up to a year without eating. One of the reasons for this difference is sharks are cold blooded fish, which means they do not burn energy as quickly as humans requiring less frequent feeding.
For many of us humans, we eat when we sense hunger. For sharks, they have an oil in their liver that is stored after consuming food. When this oil is low, a signal is transmitted in their body to initiate feeding again. The stored oil is thought to function as a nutrient when food is scarce. The liver oil also contributes to their buoyancy. Many fish maintain buoyancy with swim bladders, however sharks do not have swim bladders.
Sharks typically eat what is available which means they will consume crabs, fish, marine mammals, clams or even other sharks. Fish provide both humans and sharks a source of lean protein and fatty acids such as omega-3.
Interestingly, researchers have found that people who regularly eat fish high in omega-3's are less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis. And in those who already have the disease, omega-3's can help reduce joint swelling and pain.
Lastly, sharks do not prefer eating vulnerable human swimmers. In fact, humans are too bony for most sharks. Studies show sharks respond to smells of seals and fish, but not humans.
With more than 20-hours of Shark Week programming this week, we hope you enjoy the 32nd year!
