Top 100 Shark Facts: 100-91

by Timothy Jameson, Victoria Plummer, Anni Pullagura, Rachel Schultz and Samantha Stallard, HowStuffWorks.com
 
Top 100 Shark Facts: 100-91
100. Between 30 and 80 percent of a shark's flesh is made of water. A protein network gives the flesh its structure. (Explore bull shark anatomy.)

99. One of the Lord Mayors of London was a shark attack victim in 1749. Brook Watson lost his leg in an attack while docked off the coast of Cuba. (Count down the top 10 shark attack stories.)

98. Shark teeth are popular and often inexpensive beach souvenirs. Sharks shed their teeth constantly, and once one falls to the ocean floor, it's quickly covered with sand. It soaks up sediments like silica and calcite, which change the tooth's color from white to gray or brown. (Learn more about shark teeth.)

97. Of the average 30 to 50 shark attacks reported each year, only 5 to 10 prove to be fatal. So while being bitten by a shark is rare, dying from a shark bite is even rarer. (See pictures of sharks attacking prey.)

top shark facts: 100-91 96. As sensational as shark attacks are in newspaper headlines, the reality is that you're more likely to be bitten by another person than a shark. (Count down the 5 most dangerous sharks.)

95. While many people fear sharks and think of them as one of the world's most aggressive and deadly animals, the chances of dying from a shark attack fall well below the chances of being killed by hornets, wasps, bees or dogs. (Count down the 5 biggest shark myths.)

94. A few of the known shark species will drown if they stop moving. Great white, mako and salmon sharks don't have the muscles they need to pump water through their mouth and over their gills. As long as they keep swimming, water keeps moving over their gills, keeping them alive. (Find out how sharks keep from drowning.)

93. Overfishing can have a dangerous effect on sharks. The whale shark, for example, has to live to be 30 years old before it can reproduce, and its life span lasts between 60 and 100 years. As a result, it can't reproduce fast enough to keep up with fishing demand. (Get the latest on whale shark habits.)

92. From 1580 to 2007, there were a reported 64 fatal great white shark attacks. Sharks haven't fared as well: When you count every species, millions of sharks are killed by humans every year. (Are dogs a shark's favorite meal?)

91. Sharks' livers contain lots of oil. This makes the liver a relatively buoyant organ, which helps sharks keep their balance in the water. (Explore tiger shark anatomy.)

View Top Shark Facts 90-81 »

 
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