Shark Appreciation Thread

[Nantucket Red]

Blue sharks are the most beautiful and spooky. In the days of whaling, blue sharks were the ones that frightened sailors most because of their spectral appearance and the sheer numbers in which they were attracted by the whale blood.

The Chinese have decimated blue shark populations because they're favored for shark's fin soup (which is nothing special). They capture the sharks, cut off their fins, and throw them back.

 

[Nantucket Red]

The mako is a relative of the great white and considered the fastest fish in the ocean (sharks are technically not fish). It is also a superb game fish and good eating.

 

[visionology]

This is just a dolphin, but to keep with the theme let's all pretend it's a big bad shark. Love shark week myself. I would so kick a shark's ass if it tried to bite me, or I'd have my dolphin friends kick it's ass for me.

 

[Manton]

That looks like a whale/dolphin. Main fin small and curved, and it appears that the flukes are horizontal.

EDIT: Sorry, you had already addressed this,

 

[Nantucket Red]

Porbeagle - The Porbeagle shark is a powerful, medium-sized, highly migratory shark. There is international demand for, and trade, in its high-value meat and fins. It is also used as fertilizer. The WWF calls upon governments to include the species in CITES Appendix II.

A smaller, stouter cousin of the great white.

http://www.blog.thesietch.org/2007/0...ational-trade/

 

[visionology]

I also like the whale shark, the "barney" of the sea.

 

[Bandwagonesque]

Originally Posted by visionology

I also like the whale shark, the "barney" of the sea.

Whale-cock sucker's cramp?

 

[Nantucket Red]

Tiger sharks are dumb as rocks, aggressive as hell and will eat anything. The catalogue of what's been found in the stomachs of tiger sharks is truly astounding.

This one must be fast asleep or it would be taking a taste of this guy.

 

[trogdor]

I can't let this thread continue without posting this extract from "Jaws 5: Fire Island"

 

[visionology]

Originally Posted by Bandwagonesque

Whale-cock sucker's cramp?

Perhaps Whale prostitutes of the sea is more correct?

 

[JBZ]

The Oceanic White Tip Shark. It is said that if you are in a shipwreck and see one, it will most likely be the last thing you ever see.

 

[JBZ]

Originally Posted by Manton

One time it was a harmless blue shark.

They're generally not overly aggressive, but they're not necessarily so harmless and have been responsible for attacks on men. As they're deep water sharks, many of the attacks have been on sailors whose ships have gone down at sea. Deep water sharks such as blues, makos, and oceanic white tips are opportunistic feeders, as food sources are more rare. This makes unlucky sailors a target of these animals.

 

[JBZ]

Bull Shark. Considered very aggressive and dangerous to man. This was the shark that was most likely responsible for the famous Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916 (which inspired the book Jaws). They are particularly dangerous because they can congregate in shallow waters, close to shore.

 

[visionology]

And bull sharks are one of the few sharks that can go into fresh water rivers making them that more of a pain ********** than regular sharks.

I believe they were the highest rated in terms of number of shark attacks on humans but correct me if I am wrong. I'm sure that number will come up on the Discovery channel sometime this week.

 

[Tyto]

Originally Posted by Nantucket Red

Blue sharks are the most beautiful and spooky.

+1. Incredibly graceful.

My only encounter (that I know of) with any shark was seeing one from a canoe off of the Oregon coast. No real desire to get closer.