Sharkophile

The latest shark news, photos and videos

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SharkoFiles: Whale Shark

The whale shark, despite its name is not actually a whale, but shark, hence it is not a mammal but fish. It is regarded as the largest fish in the ocean reaching to about 40 feet in length. In spite of the large size of this shark, it is known to feed upon tiny plants […]

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SharkoFiles: Shortfin Mako

Undoubtedly, the shortfin mako sharks are among the most fascinating and attractive sharks in existence. One of the prominent attributes the sharks are well known for being their unique physical appearances. The shortfin mako sharks are distinguished from their counterparts due to their prominent coloration. They have colors ranging from deep purples to bright indigo […]

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How do shark repellents work?

Understandably there are skeptics in world of shark repellents. Some because the mechanisms can be difficult to understand. Some because, well, we’re talking about freakin’ sharks here! With 450+ million years of evolution behind them, sharks can seem like omnipotent apex predators. But they are just trying to survive like the rest of us. And […]

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Florida again leads country in shark bites; overall attacks decline

Thanks to 16 recorded instances of unprovoked shark bites in the state of Florida, the United States once again led the world in shark attacks, according to a report from the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File. The ISAF reported that there were 32 instances  of an unprovoked shark attack — bites that were initiated by […]

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Shark Talk: OCEARCH’s Chris Fischer

Last week,  satellite tracking data revealed that the waters near the Atlantic continental shelf off the shores of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and the east coast of Florida are a winter hot spot for large great white sharks. Such a discovery may not have been possible without OCEARCH founder Chris Fischer. OCEARCH, along with […]

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Jayson ‘The Fossil Guy’ Kowinsky: Digging up a passion for ancient sharks

 This guest column is brought to you by Jayson Kowinsky, more commonly known as “The Fossil Guy.” He is the Avocational Liaison to the Paleontological Society and also runs Fossilguy.com.  Jayson loves to share his interest in paleontology and prehistoric sharks, and helps enthusiasts get involved in the field of professional paleontology. Chiseling away […]

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Do sharks sneeze?

By Jane Williamson, Associate Professor in Marine Ecology, Macquarie University When an animal sneezes, it’s their way of getting rid of annoying bits and pieces that have floated inside their nose and mouth. While many animals, including humans, elephants, pandas and even seals, can sneeze, sharks unfortunately cannot. To be able to sneeze, an animal […]

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SharkoFiles: Oceanic Whitetip Shark

Oceanic whitetip sharks are bold and inquisitive creatures that are responsible for the most fatal human-shark encounter after the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during World War II. They are solitary animals, preferring to travel and hunt alone, however they are also scavengers and have been known to group together with other whitetips for “feeding […]

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How to avoid a shark bite according to surfer Tom Carroll

After a recent spate of shark bite incidents off the coast of Australia, Ocean Guardian has recruited two-time World Surfing Champion Tom Carroll to share his tips to protect yourself from an unwanted shark encounter this summer, including their latest Shark Shield systems for both surfers and SCUBA divers. “Shark Shield Technology is a win […]