Sharks Of Hawaii
Sharks are our top predator and what intrigues us is the efficiency, stealth and chilling way that they do their job.
“I am from the generation of ‘Jaws’, scary, mean. But we have discovered that is far from the truth. These animals are living fossils and we can learn from their behavior in nature. They are vitally important because sharks assist in maintaining the health of the reef by creating balance, by hunting the predators that feed on small grazing fish; the grazing fish, in turn keep the coral free of seaweeds and parasites that would otherwise overgrow the reef.”
— Capt. Tara
While there are numerous species of sharks in Hawaii, for the most part, there are only six or seven species you can expect to see nearshore. Also, with the exception of white tip reef sharks, seeing a shark is so exceptionally rare that most locals have never seen one.
Fun Facts About Sharks for Kids
Sharks have excellent vision. Their night vision is better than a cat’s or a wolf’s.
A shark’s sense of smell is 10,000 times better than a human’s.
Sharks can detect electrical impulses, including another animal’s beating heart. That’s a little creepy, isn’t it?
Sharks are picky eaters. They often take one bite of something before they decide to go in for the kill. This is why they often swim away after “tasting” a human.
Whale Sharks can grow up to nearly 40 ft and females can carry 300 embryo at a time.
It’s hard to see in the murky waters of the deep, but sharks have excellent vision. Their night vision is better than a cat’s or a wolf’s.
A shark’s sense of smell is 10,000 times better than a human’s
Sharks are picky eaters. They often take one bite of something before they decide to go in for the kill. This is why they often swim away after “tasting” a human.
Fossils of complete sharks are rare. Paleontologists rely mostly on fossilized teeth, scales and more calcified vertebrae to piece together their history. The body shape of most shark groups has changed little from those found in the fossil record.
Sharks are a relatively small group, with only about 380-400 species, as compared with approximately 28,000 species of bony fishes. Sharks therefore make up less than 2% of all living fish species.
Tiger Shark Feed
This footage of well known tiger shark, Patrick, was taken on Emerald Divers shark feed. I had never done a “shark feeding dive” before. All my buddies on this excursion were ace photographers from shark week and Nat’l Geo. I think I would rather be surprised and delighted by the visions that aren’t staged by humanity. But, I have to admit that having Patrick wink at me was quite the rush!
Jupiter, FL.
The largest of all fish in the ocean, whale sharks can grow nearly 40ft long.
Pregnant female with diver. Shot on GoPro by Captain Tara, Socorro Islands, Mexico.
Well known tiger shark, Patrick.