The open sea is one of the places that man has the least explored. Even with technology and advancements, we barely know of life under the depths of the vast places. However, one does not have to go to such depths to appreciate the life that this water body has.
Whether it’s a beach or the open seas, there’s an abundance of remarkable creatures just waiting to be seen. Perhaps one of these creatures is the bull shark. These types of sharks are some of the most common sharks you’ll see. They are so common that you might even see them when you visit your favorite beach or even the river.
Although sharks, in general, are afraid of human beings, they can be just as dangerous, and bull sharks aren’t an exception. In fact, bull sharks can be aggressive, even if unprovoked. Compared to their other cousins like the nurse shark, the whale shark, or the Caribbean reef Shark, bull sharks tend to be more curious and aggressive, often resulting in attacks.
So before taking a dip in some murky pool of water, make sure that bull sharks aren’t in it. Here are some more facts about bull sharks that you should know about:
Salt and Fresh
Perhaps one of the most interesting bull shark facts that you should know about is that bull sharks can live in both fresh and saltwater. Some bull sharks have been even documented to swim distances of 4000km upriver. Sadly, this also makes them more prone to human contact.
Although these sharks prefer saltwater, bull sharks have been known to live in rivers close to the seas. Places where the river and sea meet are called estuaries. Estuaries contain a diverse amount of lifeforms living in it, making the perfect hunting ground for bull sharks.
The reason why bull sharks have an advantage in freshwater over their more popular cousins is their physiology. A bull shark’s kidney and liver can absorb a lot of salt. When a bull shark enters freshwater, it’s organs balance the salt levels in its body, making it easier for the shark to move in such environments.
They’re Everywhere
As mentioned earlier, bull sharks are relatively common. In fact, you can find these sharks in most countries that have seas and oceans nearby. You can find these sharks in India, Peru, Australia, China, the Philippines, and even the United States of America.
Countries With More Attacks
Although you can find bull sharks virtually anywhere, the two countries with the most documented bull shark attacks are India and Australia. In India, bull sharks have been known to attack bathers, even when they’re close to the banks. As the River Ganges is also where people send off their dead, you can expect bull sharks to feed on corpses.
In Australia, bull sharks are plentiful in the inlets of Sydney Harbor. Some rivers in Australia also have bull sharks that are often territorial. Most of the time, fishing enthusiasts consider bull sharks as pests because they often eat bait intended for other fish.
Golf Course Sharks
There’s even a golf course in Queensland, Australia, that has bull sharks living in its ponds. Way back 1996, the Logan and Albert rivers became flooded. The resulting flood washed away aquatic life, most notably bull sharks, to unnatural environments such as golf course ponds. As time passed, these sharks thrived in the ponds and became major attractions for curious golfers.
Inspiring Jaws
Compared to a bull shark, great white sharks are more fierce and powerful. Great white sharks are so terrifying that they even spawned a movie franchise, Jaws. In the movie, the shark adoringly named Bruce, struck fear into every moviegoer’s hearts. However, did you know that the inspiration for Jaws didn’t come from a great white?
The inspiration for this movie menace came from a true story. In 1916, 4 people died when a shark attacked swimmers on the shores of New Jersey. Although it was suspected that a great white might have been the culprit, the bite marks found on the victims came from several bull sharks.
Born to Be Wild
Unlike most aquatic animals, Bull sharks often give live birth. A grown bull shark can give birth to more than 12 small bull shark pups. However, there are cases wherein only one pup can come out from a female bull shark.
Most of the time, bull sharks often cannibalize their brothers and sisters in the womb. Bull sharks don’t take care of their young, so the pups are left to fend for themselves.
Humans are the Biggest Threat to Bull Sharks
Bull sharks are one of the most aggressive shark species out there. You can find these bull sharks everywhere. You can also find them in both salt and freshwater environments. Sadly, the proximity of the bull shark with human activities often results in tragedy for both sharks and humans.
Although these sharks can be dangerous to human beings, we are the biggest threat to their existence. Hopefully, the facts mentioned above help conservation efforts and bring light to this fascinating creature.
