Sharks are generally considered to be the most ferocious and dangerous predators of all currently existing. Actually this is not true. For example, hippos and elephants kill more people each year than all sharks combined. And man has no equal at all in the extermination of neighbors on the planet.
And yet among these marine inhabitants there are truly formidable and dangerous. Some species pose a deadly threat to unwary surfers, scuba divers and divers. Our article will tell you about the most dangerous types of sharks, description and photos will help you get the most complete picture of these predatory inhabitants of the deep sea.
Bull shark
This is the name that many scientists mention when answering the question of which shark is the most dangerous to humans. The bull or blunt shark is not the largest known to science, but it is incredibly bloodthirsty.
It belongs to the carcharine. It lives in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. To the levelsalinity, the bull shark is undemanding, thanks to which it can also enter rivers.
This species is most terrifying on the coast of the Bahamas. It was there that the maximum number of attacks on tourists occurred. When attacking, this large fish first hits the victim with its head, which stuns and disorients it. This is followed by a deadly grip with the jaws. A low pain threshold and increased aggressiveness contribute to the undersea killer's notoriety.
Great tiger shark
Sea tiger - this is what many biologists call this fish. This is the largest predator in size among the entire shark family. Note that representatives of this species have tiger stripes only in childhood and adolescence, with time the color becomes uniform.
Almost 5.5 meters is the length of the largest specimen that people have been able to measure.
Sea tigers live in the subtropics of all oceans (except the Arctic), and their favorite place is the islands of the Central Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people of some coastal countries consider this fish sacred and do not hunt it. But for others, it is an object of fishing (liver, fins, fat are valued).
The superpower of the tiger shark lies in the ability to twist the stomach and rinse out everything superfluous. I must say, this skill is very useful: a voracious predator rushes at everything, including car tires and rusty anchors.
Longwing shark
The silhouette of this fish is more like a small plane. By its specific name, the oceanic long-wingedThe shark owes its huge pectoral fins. In length, an adult can reach 4 meters.
This species does not like to wander along the coast, preferring the open ocean. Surfers and swimmers should not be afraid. But this is the most terrible shark for those who survived the catastrophe: the crash of a plane or the death of a ship in the open ocean.
Jacques-Yves Cousteau himself wrote that this species has absolutely no fear of humans. They are not afraid of divers or their equipment.
In 1942, a tragic event occurred that makes it possible to imagine how dangerous this species is. The steamer Nova Scotia was wrecked off the coast of Africa, about 1000 people were in the water. Rescuers arrived quickly, but there was almost no one to save: less than 200 people survived. The rest were de alt with by a flock of long-winged predators.
Hammerhead shark
There are 9 closely related species under this name. Looking at the photo, it is easy to understand why the hammerhead shark is called that way.
It's only in appearance that the fish seems ridiculous and awkward. In fact, the hammer-shaped head has a huge advantage: the shark can see almost 360 degrees.
The record measured specimen amazed researchers with a seven-meter length. Representatives of all species are characterized by excellent maneuverability and the ability to develop high speed.
For the inhabitants of Florida, Hawaii and California, the hammerhead is the most feared of sharks. In those parts, most vacationers suffer from it. This is explained by the fact that the fish displaysoffspring near crowded beaches, and the period of caring for newborns is special for her - aggressiveness increases significantly. If the shark thinks that someone is a danger to her kids, it will attack without hesitation. Here is such a paradox: one of the most fierce predators of the Earth is a caring mother, who is driven by the desire to protect offspring.
Indigenous people of the Hawaiian Islands, by the way, do not share the opinion of their brothers from the mainland. They believe that the hammerhead shark is not a bloodthirsty demon, but a deity, the patron saint of all fishermen and, in general, all those who live by the sea.
White shark
You can meet this predator in any of the oceans except the Arctic. But it's best not to! No wonder scientists call it the most terrible shark in the world of all those that exist today. The sea ogre is another nickname for her.
The size of the white shark allows it to compete even with large marine predators (it can reach 4.6-4.8 meters in length). But her main enemy is the killer whale, which, as a rule, comes out the winner in the fight. White sharks themselves do not attack these large mammals. But since they have to divide territories and hunt the same game, fighting is not uncommon.
Representatives of this species are excellent hunters. They know how to approach the victim truly silently, despite their gigantic dimensions. They are very fast swimmers, and unlike many terrestrial sprint predators (for example, cheetahs and jaguars), they are distinguished by perseverance and endurance. The pursuit of the victim can continue for a very long time, until the deadlyjaws will not close.
According to official statistics, in 2012 alone, white sharks attacked 11 people. Three unfortunate people failed to escape.
Lemon Shark
Looking at a photo of a lemon shark, it is difficult to understand what the name is due to, because it does not look like a lemon at all, and its skin color is rather gray. In fact, her body is light yellow, which is clearly visible in certain lighting conditions.
These predators live in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, near the Bahamas, in the Caribbean Sea. When hunting, they swim in shallow waters into bays, mangrove forests and even mainland rivers. People are suddenly attacked, regarding them as potential prey.
Looking at the photo of the lemon shark, you can see that its teeth are not very large, but sharp and thin, and they grow at an angle, deviating towards the mouth. Getting out of this deadly "trap" is almost impossible. In length, adults reach an average of 3.4 m.
Mackerel shark
Frankly, a person is more dangerous for this fish, otherwise called mako, than it is for him. These sharks are commercially harvested for their meat, blubber, fins and entrails.
The largest mako ever caught was over 4.5 meters long and weighed half a ton.
What special skills did nature endow this fish with? First of all, we note an unprecedented jumping ability - mako is able to jump out of the water to a height of up to 6 meters, which significantly exceeds the length of its body! In addition, she does not mind visiting the beach: a hungry mackerel predatoremerges ashore in search of food, and then easily turns around and goes back into the water.
It is worth noting that even large marine mammals are incapable of such recklessness: if a dolphin, killer whale or narwhal is thrown ashore by the waves, the animal will most likely die from a compression disease of the respiratory system. But since the shark does not breathe with the help of lungs, it is not in danger.
Dangerous mako predators have repeatedly approached the beaches. They are not afraid of the noise of jet skis and the fuss of people in shallow water. Surfers on boards can also suffer from mako, because their silhouette is similar in shape to a fish when viewed from the water. Mako and mistaking boards for loot when they decide to attack.
Common sandy
This species adapts well to captivity, so you can meet its representatives in many aquariums. But dates with them on the high seas should be avoided at all costs!
They are found almost everywhere in the subtropics, tropics and equatorial waters, a small population lives in the Mediterranean Sea. But the largest number of attacks on people was recorded off the coast of South Africa.
Sandy - one of the most terrible sharks for humans. She can respond to the scuba diver's increased interest with aggression, or she can attack for no apparent reason. It reaches 4.5 meters in length, which ranks it not only on the list of the most dangerous, but also on the list of the largest.
Blue shark
This is a relatively small creature (the weight of an adult is notexceeds 400 kg). The blue shark is found only in the open ocean, it does not approach the shores.
This fish is colorblind, it hardly distinguishes colors. But nature endowed her with amazing flair and the ability to navigate. The blue shark is not dangerous for beachgoers, but those who find themselves in the water far from the coast may not be in trouble. These predators have made a number of attacks on both shipwrecked sailors and explorers diving into the water in remote corners of the ocean.
Reef shark
This predator lives in the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. There are reef sharks in the waters of the Pacific. The name is not accidental, they really love coral thickets.
In fairness, we note that although these predators are included in the list of the most terrible sharks, not a single fact is known when they would be the first to attack divers. All of their attacks were provoked by humans.
Coral reefs attract not only marine predators, but also divers who drag noisy equipment, equipment with flashes and powerful searchlights into the depths. Wanting to take a spectacular shot or shoot a video that will later gain a bunch of views, people sometimes forget about security. And the reef shark does not seem intimidating, especially to those who have seen its larger relatives: the length of the fish barely exceeds 2 meters, and its characteristic distinguishing feature is a thin, elongated body. The desire to cuddle with a slender marine inhabitant more than once turned into bitten off limbs.
We must not forget: the reef is the territory of fish. The person there is only a guest.
Prehistoric ancestors
But no matter how terrible modern sharks may seem, their ancestors were much more terrible. Megalodon, for example, could reach 18 meters in length. Helicoprion had a truly monstrous mouth: young teeth grew, pushing the old ones outward, due to which the edge of his lower jaw twisted into a spiral. These sea monsters today can only be seen on videos and in pictures created on the basis of paleontological finds.
