PLANET SHARK: PREDATOR OR PREY Educational Activities Guide

School Activities Guide

Teachers Guide Planet Shark is a journey into the world of one of most misunderstood animals on earth. It is a story of evolution, of form and function, of overfishing and the fight to save the shark. Today the sharks of the world are under enormous threat. The ICUN (International Conservation Union of Nations) currently list more than 126 species as being endangered. http://www.iucnredlist.org/

What role do the sharks play in our world and what will our oceans be like if the sharks were to disappear?

Planet Shark has been created to bring greater understanding of the shark, their significance in our world and the roles that they play in the balance of life in our oceans. It is designed to be an educational journey through 450 million years of evolution. The shark is one of the oldest and most successful animals to have lived on this planet and there are few words that, when spoken at volume, can match its global ability to evoke instant fear. Yet the level of fear seems completely out of context given the actual statistical danger that they pose. The story of Planet Shark is not just a fascinating biological insight into the world of the shark; it is also a doorway to understanding the psychology of fear.

Featuring explanations and examinations of almost every aspect of the shark, from evolution and biology to popular culture and the fin trade; visitors will gain a whole new level of respect for the oceans oldest and most effective predator.

In this creative and engaging exhibition you’ll find displays of full-scale specimen models, the king of which is our Great White, cast from a real animal. Also on display are extremely rare fossils, up to 370 million years old, plus real teeth and jaws. A large multi-screen high definition cinematic production transports you into the world of the shark and the story of one of the oldest and most fascinating creatures on earth.

One of nature’s oldest and most feared creatures, the shark is also one of the most misunderstood. Fishing pressure and media misrepresentation has put this magnificent animal in grave danger of extinction. Planet Shark: Predator or Prey – The Experience is a ​ great entertaining and educational step to help preserve these necessary ocean predators.

Introduction & Overview of the Exhibition

Welcome to Planet Shark. We hope your students enjoy our journey into the world of the shark. This exhibition is designed to be interactive, entertaining, and educational for wide student exposure and application. Importantly, the exhibition has been designed and created around the fascination most students have with sharks and is designed to appeal to all student levels.

Planet Shark was created and built in Australia and New Zealand, and was over 3 years in the making. It is the most comprehensive international travelling shark exhibition ever assembled and its purpose is to bring greater awareness of these amazing animals and the vital role they play in our ocean ecosystems. Grande Exhibitions are proud to offer this entertaining and educational exhibition to your students.

The purpose of this guide is to help teachers prepare and maximize the experience students will have whilst at the exhibition, and more importantly ensure there is a sustained and lasting learning experience for students. In this guide teachers will find a range of tasks and activities which can be utilized by students pre visit, during and post visit, whilst providing teachers with background information to help familiarize them with the subject matter and learning opportunities.

In brief, the components of the exhibition include:

● A large multi-screen high definition cinematic experience ● Full-scale shark models cast from real specimens, including king of the ocean, the Great White Shark ● Extremely rare collection of fossils, up to 370 million years old, plus real shark jaws and teeth ● Shark cages and authentic artefacts ● Stories on human/shark encounters ● Detailed examinations of sharks size biology, hunting strategies and amazing sensory systems ● Information on shark satellite tagging programs and conservation efforts ● Interactive, educational displays and entertaining hands-on experiences ● Kids Activity Trail

Planet Shark moves through a range of subject areas as it follows a single storyline – ‘Is the shark predator or prey?’ There are many educational principles that the exhibition has application to. To help facilitate this, we have carefully structured the exhibition around the following themes:

Predator or Prey? Top of the Food Chain Humans versus Sharks Fighting for Survival

The storyline ‘Predator or Prey’ follows the rise of sharks over time, sharks today: diversity and biology; the relationship between man and the shark as driven by media in the 20th and 21st centuries; galeophobia (fear of sharks) and this fear’s relationship to the persecution of sharks over the last 50 years; sharks and their commercial value today; protecting ourselves from attack, the study of sharks and the latest in shark research.

Overall, we hope it represents an excellent educational platform for exploring the life and times of one of the world’s oldest and most evolved predators.

Preparing to Visit the Exhibition

Central to the exhibit are the amazing life size animal replicas, a fascinating collection of shark jaws and fossils as well as a significant number of shark related artefacts. Each displayed item or group of items comes complete with interpretive information.

Prior to coming to the exhibition, we would recommend students receive an overview of the diversity and significance of sharks in our world. Key for students when they tour the exhibition, is to receive a real understanding and appreciation for the diversity of species in terms of size, speed and diet as well as the roles that they play in keeping our ocean ecosystems in balance. The question sheets provided will help students gain an in-depth understanding of the shark and the problems that shark populations face today in the shadow of a rapidly growing human population.

School Arrival and Exhibition Procedures are as follows: The Teacher Overviews provide a summary explanation of exhibition content and facts about Planet Shark. This ensures teachers have a firm grasp of the subject matter and how this will relate to educational outcomes. It also allows teachers to have enough familiarity to confidently brief students before and during the exhibition as well as plan suitable activities.

Planet Shark exhibition fast facts for teachers

General ● Sharks have been in existence for more than 450 million years. ● Sharks are fish but differ from teleost fish (fish with bones) as they have a skeleton made of cartilage rather than bones. This is the reason very few full fossil remains exist and most fossil records are only teeth. ● Sharks are closely related to rays and chimaeras – also lacking bones.

Taxonomy ● Sharks are divided into 8 orders of which only 3 are potentially dangerous.

Diversity ● The largest shark to have ever lived is the extinct Carcharodon Megalodon. It grew to around 15 metres (50 feet) in length and disappeared approximately 1.6 million years ago. ● The Whale Shark is the biggest fish and the biggest shark alive today. They grow to over 12.5 metres (40 feet) and are filter feeders. ● The smallest shark is the Dwarf Lantern shark at just 20 centimetres (8 inches) in length. ​ ​ Distribution ● There are more than 400 different species of sharks found around the world spread across every ocean including the Arctic and Antarctic. ● Some Sharks (like Bull Sharks) are able to live in freshwater as well as saltwater. Bull Sharks have been found 3000 kilometres (1900 miles) up the Mississippi River, USA.

Diet ● Not all sharks are purely predatory; some are filter feeders making them omnivores. ● Most sharks will scavenge over hunting as it uses less energy. As a result, sharks could be considered the ‘cleaners’ of our oceans, feeding on the dead and dying as well as the weak. ● Great White Sharks can go for months without feeding. ● Most sharks consume on average less than 2% of their body weight a day – less than humans.

Senses ● All sharks have two more senses than humans – electroreception and lateral line vibration detection. ● Up to a third of the shark’s brain is dedicated to its most acute sense – smell.

Anatomy ● Sharks breathe oxygen like humans but they extract from water as apposed to air. This is done using gills, a series of structures not dissimilar to an inside out lung. ● The shark can replace its teeth constantly with some species producing more than 20,000 in a lifetime. ● Sharks have denticles instead of scales – a series of microscopic hard interlocking spines all facing backwards to protect the shark from cuts and abrasions. ● The fastest shark in the ocean is the Mako Shark – a close relative of the Great White. They have been clocked at bursts of around 80 kilometres an hour (50 mph). ● Sharks rely on the high oil content of their large livers to counteract the weight of their relatively dense bodies. Still most sharks will sink if they stop swimming.

Reproduction ● Some sharks lay eggs and some sharks give birth to live young. ● Unlike fish sharks reproduce by internal fertilization like mammals and give birth to relatively few babies. ● Some sharks are warm blooded like mammals and some shark embryos develop in uteri via an umbilical cord attached to a placenta, a form of development that has been recorded in sharks as far back as 380 million years.

Behaviour ● Sharks don’t sleep. Instead they have periods of less activity in which they rest. ● Some shark’s swim in large schools and others are solitary.

Threats ● Estimates of numbers of sharks killed each year are believed to be around 100 million. ● Galeophobia and Selachophobia are both terms used to describe an excessive and persistent fear of sharks. ● Steven Spielberg’s movie “JAWS” was made in 1975. It was based on Peter Benchley’s book of the same name that in turn was inspired by the 1916 attacks in the Matawan Creek in New Jersey, USA. ● As apex predators in our oceans big sharks have extremely high levels of mercury and arsenic – often well above the FDA’s (Food and Drug Administration) maximum recommended levels.

Protection ● White Sharks have been protected in several key regions around the world: South Africa (1991), Namibia (1993), the United States of America (1997), Australia (1998), Malta (2000) and New Zealand (2007). ● Scientists are able to track sharks using satellites and can now tell where certain sharks are in the ocean on any given day.

Shark Myths

● Sharks are mindless eating machines – in fact sharks are as intelligent as birds and some mammals and are very accurate in their selection of food and on average eat less than humans. ● Sharks do not attack in the middle of the day – in reality many sharks are less active at this time of day but this does not mean that sharks will not take any opportunity to feed. ● Sharks will die if they stop swimming – this is true for some but not all sharks. Some sharks breathe while stationary using a spiracle and some breathe by gulping air. ● Shark cartilage can prevent or cure cancer – there is no scientific proof that this is true. Dispelling this myth is vital in the fight to protect the shark from overfishing. ● Sharks have poor eyesight – many species such as the mackerel shark family (Great Whites, Makos, Salmon Sharks) have acute binocular vision far better than our own and are highly visual feeders.

History & Evolution

Teacher Overview: Sharks are one of evolution's most enduring success stories. Due to cartilage skeletons, most fossil records are just teeth but some 2,000 to 3,000 species of fossil shark have been described. In contrast, the total number of dinosaurs comprises less than 800 species and the shark’s ancestry dates back more than 200 million years before the earliest known dinosaur. To understand the sharks as they are today, it is helpful to know how successful the sharks have been through time. While many species including the dinosaurs have been completely eliminated by events such as these, the sharks have survived. Along with all species on earth, they are now facing the greatest Extinction Level Event (ELE) to date.

While sharks have been around for more than 450 million years, what is amazing is the length of time modern day sharks have remained relatively unchanged. For instance, Great White Sharks have been recorded (via fossilised teeth) back as far as 65 million years. At the other end of the scale, more primitive sharks like the Seven-Gill Shark have remained unchanged for 140 million years. To put this into perspective human beings in their current form (give or take a few centuries) have been around for just 150,000 years. In fact, while modern day Great Whites were roaming our oceans, we were still crawling our way out of the evolutionary slime. The group to which we belong (primates) have their earliest records dating back a meagre 66 million years. In fact the first tiny mammals appeared around 210 million years ago - around the time that some of the older ‘modern day’ sharks were already close to reaching evolutionary adulthood.

Sharks were around and hunting the oceans before insects took to the air, more than twice as long as the dinosaurs, and managed to survive one catastrophic extinction event after another while almost all other life forms struggled to survive. It thought that this might have been due, in part, to the shark’s high tolerances of an extremely wide range of environmental conditions such as temperature, salinity, depth and oxygen levels. As a result and while so many species including ourselves continue to evolve to adapt to our environment, Elasmobranches (sharks and rays) reached evolutionary supremacy early and have remained the apex predators in their habitats for millions of years relatively unchanged.

Shark Biology

Teacher Overview Sharks are classed as fish. Sharks differ from ‘teleost’ fish (fish with bones) as they have cartilage where bones would normally be – even their vertebrae are cartilage. Rays are closely related to sharks. The difference between rays and sharks is rays have their gill slits on the under surface of their bodies. Sharks have theirs on the sides or top of their bodies. Sharks and rays also differ from teleost fish in that they fertilize their eggs internally, like mammals. This means that they breed much slower than fish and give birth to far fewer young. Sharks, like us need oxygen to breathe. They take the oxygen from water in a similar way to how we take oxygen from the air. As water is much more dense, it makes sense to pass the water over gills rather than force it into and out of lungs. So the shark’s gills are like an inside out lung. Water passes in through the mouth or sometimes a breathing hole called a spiracle, over the gills and out though the gill slits.

Sharks also have two more senses than us. They have movement (pressure) sensors along their bodies in a line – the lateral line. They also have the ability to sense the weak electrical fields that live animals give off – this sense is called electroreception and its receptors are located around the shark’s mouth and nose. This sense is so powerful it can sense the electrical signals that our body uses to communicate between cells. Some sharks like the hammerhead can also detect the earth’s magnetic field and use this ability to navigate around the oceans.

You can tell how fast a shark is by its tail. A shark that has a symmetrical tail is a fast shark – like Great Whites and Makos. Sharks with an elongated upper lobe of the tail swim slower – like Blue Sharks and Leopard Sharks. The exception to this rule is the Thresher Shark that also uses its tail to feed – using it like a whip to stun fish before eating them.

You can also tell what a shark eats by its teeth. Broad triangular and or serrated teeth mean the shark eats prey it must cut into pieces to swallow. Sharks with fine pointed teeth often swallow their food whole.

Shark Diversity

Teacher Overview Today our oceans are home to eight major groups or orders of shark that divide into 30 families and more than 350 different species.

The biggest shark is a Whale Shark growing to over 12.5 metres (40 feet). These sharks are filter feeders and are not dangerous. The largest dangerous sharks are Tiger Sharks and Great Whites. The smallest sharks are dogfish growing to just 20 centimetres (8 inches). So both the largest and the smallest sharks are not dangerous to humans.

Sharks range in shape from the long-tailed Thresher, to Hammerheads to Saw sharks that have teeth on their rostrum or nose.

Sharks can be found in every ocean and sea in the world, from the shallows to some of the deepest ocean trenches. Several sharks can even be found in rivers including the 3rd most dangerous shark in the world - the Bull Shark. Bull Sharks can travel freely between salt and fresh water and have been found more than 3000 kilometres (1900 miles) up the Mississippi River, USA.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has identified 126 species of sharks or 36% of the 350 species known as endangered.

Sharks belong to a Class called Chondrichthyes, which includes the other two groups of cartilaginous fish – skates and rays and chimaeras.

Interaction With Humans

Teacher Overview There is no question that many sharks are dangerous, but shark attacks are incredibly rare. The public’s fear of shark attack is grossly overstated and unjustified. Showing sharks in a positive light and putting shark attacks in perspective is one of the primary tasks of Planet Shark.

Useful statistics:

In 1996 toilets in the USA injured nearly 44,000 people, while sharks injured only 20 people. You are 700 times more likely to be killed in a plane crash than by a shark. You are nearly 30 times more likely to be killed in a train crash than by a shark. In the USA you are more than 200 times more likely to be killed by a deer than a shark. You are more than 100,000 times more likely to be injured by fireworks than bitten by any shark. Chance of being attacked in 2007 - less than 1 in 11.5 million. You are more than 80 times more likely to be killed by a dog than bitten by a Tiger Shark

Human deaths in Australia identified as animal related between 2000 - 2010. Let’s see who is responsible, starting with the biggest culprits:

● Horse, pony or donkey – 77 deaths ● Cow, bull or bovine – 33 deaths ● Dog – 27 deaths ● Kangaroo – 18 deaths ● Bee – 16 deaths ● Shark – 16 deaths = 1.6 per year ● Snake – 14 deaths ● Crocodile – 9 deaths ● Ostrich or emu – 5 deaths ● Others, including fish, sheep, goats, camels, cats and jellyfish – 39 deaths

A History of Fear

Teacher Overview The shark most likely obtained its name from the German word for scoundrel or villain, ‘schurk’.

The term ‘galeophobia’ is derived from the Greek words ‘galeos’ (shark with the markings of a weasel) and ‘phobos’ (fear). Galeophobia and selachophobia are both terms used to describe an excessive and persistent fear of sharks.

In 1916 a series of shark attacks in a New Jersey, USA elevated the shark to one of our most feared predators. In Matawan Creek, 16 kilometres (10 miles) from the Atlantic, a Bull Shark (most likely) killed a young boy and then a local man who had jumped in to rescue him. On its way back to the ocean, the shark attacked another child. The newspapers gave the “shark menace” front-page treatment. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson held a special Cabinet meeting and ordered the Treasury Secretary to lead a “war on sharks.” The navy was called in, along with the US Coast Guard. Up and down the coast, fishermen conducted one of the largest animal slaughters in human history. They killed every shark they could find and even dynamited Matawan Creek.

In Michael Capuzzo’s book ‘Close to Shore’ he said of the 1916 attacks, “the shark exposed an American impulse to make entertainment out of tragedy.” Galeophobia had arrived and humankind’s persecution of the shark had begun, but this was nothing compared with the impact of the movie ‘Jaws’. The record-breaking film was based on Peter Benchley’s book of the same name. Benchley based his story‘s on the 1916 shark attacks in New Jersey except he exchanged the Bull Shark for a Great White. ‘Jaws’ is arguably the single most damaging piece of publicity the shark has ever received. A work of fiction elevated sharks to public enemy number one, and around the world the shark felt the impact with a dramatic increase in shark kill tournaments and recreational shark fishing.

In July of 2001, sharks were again in the spotlight as Time Magazine declared it “The Summer of the Shark.” Almost overnight, sharks were turned back into the monsters they had been in 1975. This time the media machine was set in motion by a horrific attack by a Bull Shark in Florida, during which the arm of an 8-year old boy was severed. Globally, sharks became the news story of the summer - but was it justified? Shark attacks in 2001 were actually down by 15% from the previous year. “The Summer of the Shark” is good example of how the public can be led by the media. This unjustified media frenzy renewed our fear of the shark, and undid much of the work environmentalists and scientists had done to help protect the shark from the unprecedented levels of persecution since 1975. The media had perpetuated a story with no real merit beyond its ability to draw ratings and millions more sharks died as a result.

Sharks Cinema Gallery (where applicable)

Teacher Overview: The cinematic presentation gives students a chance to practice their observational skills and then discuss what they have seen.

There are number of shark sequences that screen showing the majestic animal in its natural environment. To change our view of sharks, we must see them as majestic creatures ruling the ocean food chain. Stunning high definition footage shows the shark for what it really is – majestic, powerful and supremely adapted to their environment. This footage is carefully selected to inspire not scare so that visitors are left in awe of the shark rather than in fear. It is a powerful visual statement and key to Planet Shark’s education of visitors. The Story of Planet Shark is now complete. Time to sit and relax and take in the whole picture and appreciate just how truly amazing these creatures are, the serious threat they face and how barbaric our persecution of these spectacular animals has been.

Sharks as Prey

Teacher Overview: Environmentalists and scientists suggest that more than half of the world’s shark species are endangered. It is one of the most important wildlife issues confronting us today. But our fear of sharks, and the media’s successful propagation of this fear, has kept over-fishing issues low on our list of hot environmental issues. As a result, sharks have gone from predator to prey in just a few decades, with the full implications of catastrophic population collapses yet to be felt.

Today sharks are being targeted by fisheries all over the world, and in ever-increasing numbers. The core product driving this demand is shark fin soup. Shark fin soup was once a delicacy reserved for special occasions – a historic symbol of wealth and prestige in Chinese culture. A 2006 study conducted by fisheries scientist Shelley Clarke indicated that up to 73 million sharks are being killed annually to supply the fin trade. This was three times higher than the official catch statistics reported to the FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization) because it included new data taken from illegal shark fin traders who do not report their catches. A recent study in the Gulf of Mexico paints an even bleaker picture – it found that the Oceanic Whitetip Shark population has been reduced by a staggering 99 percent. Researchers speculate that many other shark species are in a similar position.

Most of these sharks are finned alive before being thrown back into the ocean to suffer a slow and painful death by drowning. The statistics are horrifying, but for the fisherman trying to put food on his family’s table, sharks fins are a valuable target. They can fetch anywhere from US$200 to $550 per kilogram ($90 to $250 per pound) wholesale, eventually retailing for as much as US$4,400 per kilogram ($2,000 per pound) in Asia. By contrast, a shark’s body meat brings in $4 to $15 per kilogram ($2 to $7 per pound) wholesale. The key to saving the shark lies in reducing demand by educating consumers. If we can reduce the appeal of this almost tasteless and nutrition-free bowl of mercury-poisoned water, we may well be able to save the shark.

What will become of our oceans if we don’t? The loss of sharks from our ecosystems would be disastrous. Without sharks, disease in fish species will increase. Some marine populations will explode, leading to crashes among others and the eventual breakdown of the entire marine ecosystem.

Shark Products

Teacher Overview Shark Fin Soup Shark fins have virtually no taste and are traditionally served in a broth of chicken, ham and shiitake mushrooms. Shark fin soup is regarded as a tonic in Chinese medicine, along with products such as rhino horn, seahorse and tiger penis. Scientifically speaking, it has little nutritional value and may even be harmful to health over the longer term. A recent survey showed that 80% of shark fin samples sold in Hong Kong contained mercury levels above the legal standard. Pregnant women should avoid shark fin soup at all costs.

Squalene/ Shark Liver Oil Squalene is used in cosmetic products, ranging from anti-aging cream to lip gloss, while shark liver oil is a source of vitamins. There is no scientific or health advantage to using shark-derived squalene or oil over other sources. Alternative squalene sources include olive oil, rice bran and wheat germ.

Shark Cartilage Shark cartilage is a popular dietary supplement that is claimed to combat and/or prevent a variety of illnesses, most notably cancer. This claim has not been scientifically proven, nor has the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed shark cartilage. Proponents of shark cartilage are encouraged only by anecdotal evidence from users. Alternatively, opponents cite scientific studies on the effects of shark cartilage on a variety of cancers - all published, and reporting negligible or non-existent results in the prevention or treatment of cancer.

Shark Meat As with shark fin, shark meat - particularly that from apex predator sharks - should be avoided at all costs. The bigger the shark, the bigger its prey and the higher the levels of cumulative mercury found in its tissues. The FDA classifies four species of fish as having high mercury levels: Tilefish (1.45 parts per million); Shark (0.99 ppm); Swordfish (0.98 ppm); and King Mackerel (0.730 ppm). For this reason, the FDA/EPA seafood advisory states that pregnant and nursing women, women who might become pregnant and young children should avoid eating these fish.

Protection and Observation

Teacher Overview Man has been exploring ways of avoiding attack since we first ventured into the water. The most successful way to avoid attack is not to put oneself in harm’s way, but this is not always possible especially if you are studying sharks. For this reason a number of shark protection devices have been developed for use by divers and researchers.

The most obvious are shark cages – either constructed in aluminium or Lexan plastic. Both allow researchers or divers to observe shark up close without risk.

Another protection devise was the brainchild of Jeremiah Sullivan in 1978. He began testing chainmail with sharks, finally getting to patent in the USA in November 1982. While large sharks are still capable of inflicting major blunt force trauma, such as dislocations and broken bones, the stainless steel mesh is almost impenetrable by even the sharpest of teeth.

The first electronic shark deterrents were invented in the early 1990s by the South African government and the Natal Sharks Board. All sharks have an extra sense called electroreception. The sensory organs are an array of small gel filled sacs on their snouts known as ‘Ampullae of Lorenzini’. They use these short-range electrical sensors to detect their prey. The Shark POD (Protective Oceanic Device) used a three-dimensional electronic waveform to overstimulate the shark’s Ampullae of Lorenzini. Today the latest versions are marketed as Shark Shield – the only licensed user of the patented South African-based technology.

With the advent of observation technology like those described, our knowledge of sharks over the past 30 years has grown significantly, but the latest satellite tracking technology has allowed us to go one step further. High-tech ARGOS satellite tags are attached to the dorsal fins of sharks and they are able to transmit the shark’s position each time its dorsal fin and the tag breaks the ocean’s surface.

The reason for tagging is to help scientists to better understand where sharks travel to, how often and for how long. Combined with data obtained via the Pop off Archival tags (PAT Tag) used around the world, scientists now know that the ranges and temperature tolerances of Great Whites are far greater than first thought.

We also know that Great White Sharks are transoceanic - travelling between countries to visit regular feeding events in search of prey, and possibly in search of a mate as well.

The Planet Shark Challenge: Are Sharks Predators or Prey?

Teacher Overview What have the students learned about sharks? Are they really predators? Or are they prey? We know that most sharks are predatory, but the shark has always been touted as the apex predator in our oceans. That was until man began fishing the oceans at the level at which we do today. With shark numbers plummeting worldwide, it is fair to say that the primary reason for this is not degradation of habitat (like so many land-based predators) or pollution. Nor can it be said that declining food sources can be singled out in most cases. The single biggest pressure and arguably the only pressure on shark populations globally is predation by man.

Scientifically we categorize a species based on its dominant trait i.e. dogs will eat vegetables, but they are considered carnivores. Based on this and the predatory impact sharks have on humans vs. human pressure on shark populations, it is realistic to now place sharks in the prey category over predator.

The idea behind this task is to get students thinking openly and honestly about what it is that they have learned about sharks as a result of their visit. We would like you to assist us by feeding this back to us at Planet Shark.

Question and Answer Session

Q. How long ago did Megalodon live? A. 16.4MYA – 1.6MYA

Q. When did the film “Jaws” first screen? A. 1975

Q. Which shark grows bigger? The Great White or the Tiger Shark? A. The Tiger. Largest Tiger accurately measured was 7.3 metres (24 feet) versus the Great White at 6.4 metres (21 feet).

Q. Which is the fastest shark in the ocean? A. The Mako. They have been recorded swimming at more than 48 kilometres per hour (30 mph) and reported to be able to accelerate to more than 72 kph (45 mph).

Q. How long can a Great White go without eating? A. As long as two months or more.

Q. Can sharks replace lost or broken teeth? A. Yes, some sharks can replace broken teeth in as little as 24 hours and may go through tens of thousands in a lifetime.

Q. Do sharks have a better sense of smell than a dog? A. Yes ,they can smell one part of blood in a million parts of water.

Q. Can sharks walk? A. Not on land, but the Epaulette Shark has four modified fins that allow it to walk on the sea floor.

Q. Are sharks warm blooded like us? A. No, Makos and Great Whites are warm bodied and are able to run body temperatures as much as 18 degrees above the ambient water temperature, but this is not the same as maintaining a constant body temperature like a mammal.

Q. Do sharks lay eggs? A. Yes some sharks do. Other sharks give birth to live young.

Q. Why are so many species of sharks under threat? A. Most countries have no quotas for catching sharks and the demand for shark fins for shark fin soup has become so great that it is estimated that 73 million sharks are killed each year.

Q. What will happen if sharks become extinct? A. Sharks are like the cleaners of the oceans. Imagine if all the rubbish collectors went on strike.

Q. What poison do you find most in sharks? A. Mercury. Apex or top of the food chain predators in our oceans all contain high levels of mercury – often well above the FDA’S maximum recommended daily intake.

Q. How far from the ocean have Bull Sharks been found up rivers? A. 4000 kilometres (2,500 miles) up the Amazon and 3000 kilometres (1,900 miles) up the Mississippi.

Q. What is Galeophobia? A. An unnatural fear of sharks.

Q. What is Selachophobia? A. An unnatural fear of sharks.

Q. What species of shark was Jaws? A. A Great White Shark.

Q. What species of shark was the original shark that attacked swimmers in 1916 and on which the book Jaws was based on? A. Bull Shark.

Q. What are the three most dangerous sharks in the world? A. Great White Shark, Tiger Shark and Bull Shark.

Q. What is the reason for the Hammerhead’s head shape? A. It is thought to spread the senses such as smell and electroreception improving accuracy.

Q. Can sharks get sunburnt like humans? A. Yes, sharks suntan – sharks that have spent a lot of time in shallow water become quite dark coloured. This is particularly evident in Hammerheads.

Q. Is a shark a fish? A. Yes, sharks are fish, like fish they have gills and fins and cannot survive out of water.

Q. What is older, dinosaurs or sharks? A. Sharks are much older than dinosaurs. Dinosaurs are believed to have evolved 230 million years ago, sharks have been around for 450 million years.

Q. What helps stop sharks from sinking? A. Sharks have a very large liver. It may be up to 1/3 of a shark’s body weight.

Q. What can sharks sense that humans cannot? A. Sharks can detect very small electrical currents, like those given off by a human heartbeat.

Q. Can sharks live in freshwater? A. Yes, Bull sharks and also some stingrays can live in rivers and lakes.

Q. Do sharks jump out of the water? A. Yes, Mako sharks and Great Whites can jump clear out of the water.

Q. Do sharks eat birds? A. Yes, Tiger sharks in particular hunt albatross chicks when they are learning to fly.

Q. Are sharks and dolphins enemies? A. No, sharks and dolphins often feed together, but dolphins will attack a shark if their babies are threatened.

Q. Do sharks have good eyesight? A. Yes, Mako and Great White sharks have very good eyesight and can judge distances and colours very well.

Q. Do sharks have ears? A. Yes, they do but not like we are used to. The shark’s ears are hidden within its head with only 2 small pores connecting the ears to the outside of the head. These are on the top of the shark’s head.

Q. How many gills do sharks have? A. Sharks either have 5, 6, or 7 pairs of gills, so a Sevengill shark actually has 14 gills or seven pairs.

Q. Is the jaw of the shark connected to its skull (head) like other bony fish? A. No, the shark’s jaw is not connected to the shark’s skull, there are special ties called ligaments, when a shark opens its mouth to bite the jaws are pushed forward.

Q. Do sharks have scales like a fish? A. No, sharks have special teeth-like denticles that cover their bodies.

Bibliography and Useful Links

Sharks of the World by Leonard Compagno, Marc Dando, and Sarah Fowler

The Shark Handbook: The Essential Guide for Understanding the Sharks of the World by Greg Skomal and Nick Caloyianis

Sharks and Rays of Australia by Peter R. Last and John D. Stevens

Great White Shark by Richard Ellis and John McCosker

The Shark Almanac: A Fully Illustrated Natural History of Sharks, Skates and Rays by Thomas B. Allen

Sharks in Question by Victor G. Springer

The Secret Life of Sharks by Peter A. Klimley

Close to Shore: The Terrifying Shark Attacks of 1916 by Michael Capuzzo

Jaws by Peter Benchley

Shark Trouble Peter Benchley

Links www.planetshark.org www.elasmo-research.org www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Sharks www.sharksavers.org www.iucn.org www.topp.org

Educational Task Sheets

Photocopy the following sheets and hand out for your students to work from during their visit to Planet Shark.

History & Evolution

Why are teeth the only fossil record of many sharks? ______

What is the oldest fossil you can see in the display cabinet? ______

Who have lived longer on planet Earth? Dinosaurs or Sharks? ______

How big did the Otodus Obliqua or the Megalodon Shark grow to? ______

For how long have sharks been roaming the oceans? ______

Shark Biology

Name the seven senses that sharks have? ______

What are the two senses that sharks have that we don’t? ______

What does the shape of the tail tell us about the shark? ______

Do sharks breathe oxygen like us? Yes/No ______

What are the differences between sharks and other fish? ______

Draw the tails of the sharks on display and then number them in order of fastest to slowest.

Which shark is the odd one out and why? ______

Draw two different types of teeth and explain why they are different. ______

Shark Diversity

What is the biggest shark alive today (not extinct)? ______

Can you find sharks in freshwater? Yes/No ______

If there are 350 different types of sharks and the ICUN considers 126 of them endangered, what percentage of all shark species are endangered? ______

To pronounce Latin or scientific names here are a few clues:

‘ch’ (as in Carcharodon) is pronounced as an English or a hard ‘k’ (chorus) ‘ae’ (as in Lamnidae) is pronounced ‘ee’ (see) most vowels including ‘y’ are most often pronounced short rather than long (as in math, fish, socks, rust, and mystical)

Carcharodon spelt phonetically would be Car-ca-ro-don. How would you spell the following phonetically?

Carcharhinus brachyurus ______

Sphyrna mokarran ______

Isurus oxyrinchus ______

Interaction with Humans

Think about this while you look at the statistics. Did you read the “perspective” paragraphs on the shark jaws on display? If so is shark attack really something we should worry about? Yes/No ______

On average, how many people are killed by sharks in Australia each year? ______

On average in Russia, how many people are killed each year by icicles? ______

Coconuts cause how many human deaths every year on average? ______

Name 5 things you can do to be safe in the ocean.

1. ______

2. ______

3. ______

4. ______

5. ______

A History of Fear

What is galeophobia? ______

When was the movie “Jaws” released at the box office? ______

On what real event was the book and the movie “JAWS” based on? ______

Multi-screen Cinema Gallery

Write down all the things you notice about sharks while watching the films. ______

Prey - Sharks Under Attack

How many sharks are estimated to be killed worldwide each year? ______

What is the most prevalent reason for catching sharks worldwide? ______

Are these sharks killed humanely? ______

What do sharks do for the oceans? ______

What will happen to the oceans if there are no sharks left? ______

Shark Products

What chemical element does Shark Fin Soup contain high levels of? ______

In which region of the world is shark products most popular and why? ______

What does shark fin soup give us? ______

Why then do we kill so many sharks for just their fins? ______

If you were to tell someone why they shouldn’t eat shark fin soup, what would you say? ______

Protection and Observation

Name two ways to protect yourself from sharks while diving? ______

Which do you think is the safest? And why? ______

Draw your own protective devise that would allow you to interact with sharks?

The Planet Shark Challenge

Are Sharks Predators or Prey? ______

Write a paragraph about what you have learned about sharks and whether you think they are predators or prey? ______

Name: ______