B \u2013 Bamboo sharks are also known as carpet sharks<\/h3>\n
Where do they get this nickname? Bamboo sharks, including Arabian bamboo sharks<\/a> & brown banded bamboo sharks, are a group of small, bottom-dwelling sharks belonging to the Hemiscylliidae family whose markings resemble an ornate, patterned carpet. Hence the name!<\/p>\n This collective term for sharks is normally used when they gather to migrate or feed and comes from the old English word \u2018shive\u2019, meaning a slice. This refers to the way they move through the water.<\/p>\n The dwarf lantern shark (Etmopterus perryi<\/em>) is a type of dogfish that only grows up to 20cm long, making them the smallest shark species in the world. They aren\u2019t a common species, though, and have only been spotted on the upper continental slopes in Colombia and Venezuela.<\/p>\n Sharks are apex predators, and their role at the top of the food chain means their eating behaviours can indicate the health of an ecosystem. They also help keep the balance by feeding on a diverse range of prey. Without them, there would be an imbalance of species, and this could affect ecosystems.<\/p>\n The first dorsal fin is located on the top of a shark\u2019s back. It\u2019s used to keep a shark from rolling onto its back and helps them make sharp turns even when they\u2019re moving quickly.<\/p>\n Also known as a gurry shark or grey shark, these sharks have the longest known lifespan of all vertebrate species on the planet and can live for up to four centuries! Not only do they live longer lives, but they also move slower than any other shark species.<\/p>\n With their distinctive head shape, you may well know what a hammerhead shark looks like. But what you might not know is that they\u2019re one of the very few animals that can tan from sun exposure.<\/p>\n Sharks have great eyesight and an excellent sense of smell, alongside being highly intelligent creatures. They will often \u2018test bite\u2019 an object to see if it\u2019s a food source and spew it out of their mouths if they don\u2019t like it \u2013 similar to the behaviour of human toddlers. Hammerhead sharks, in particular, have very wide-set eyes, giving them a better field of vision than other shark species.<\/p>\n Sharks might be an old species, but that doesn\u2019t mean we\u2019ve found all the different variations. The jaguar catshark found in the Galapagos Islands is the perfect example since it was only discovered for the first time in 2012.<\/p>\n Although sharks are at the top of the food chain, smaller prey such as krill and shrimp make up part of their diet alongside larger creatures, like other sharks and seals.<\/p>\n The whale shark is not only the largest shark species<\/a> ever recorded, but it\u2019s also the biggest fish known to inhabit our waters and can dive deeper than any other marine shark. One was measured down to a depth of almost 2km!<\/p>\n Some sharks, including hammerhead and mako sharks, give birth to live young, while others, such as bamboo and wobbegong shark species, lay eggs which hatch. Egg cases from those that lay eggs will often wash ashore on beaches, gaining the nickname mermaid purses<\/em>. You can find Mermaid purses on coastlines surrounding the UK. If you need help identifying egg cases, you can take part in The Shark Trust\u2019s Great Eggcase Hunt<\/a>, and contribute to important research regarding shark, ray, and skate populations in our UK waters.<\/p>\n Also referred to as a third eyelid, some shark species have nictitating membranes to protect the eyes from injury and debris. They have some vision through this membrane to make sure they\u2019re safe from predators or other dangers when feeding or hunting.<\/p>\n Sharks swim in every ocean of the world, from tropical waters to the Arctic Circle and along nearly every coastline of every continent. Some sharks, like the bull huss, can swim between brackish and freshwater environments. Brackish water is saltier than freshwater but not as salty as freshwater, which means these sharks are adapted to living in both conditions.<\/p>\n A baby shark is called a pup, and while there are different ways pups come into this world, they\u2019re all born ready to take care of themselves independently.<\/p>\n Spending most of its time in tropical and warm ocean habitats, this super strong and fast species has been known to reach a top speed of up to 46mph. They often swim at around 30mph, making them excellent at catching their prey and protecting themselves from predators.<\/p>\n Scientists have discovered that sharks could have been swimming around before the dinosaurs existed and might even be older than our most ancient trees! Sharks were known to exist around 450 million years ago, making them one of the planet\u2019s oldest living species.<\/p>\n The sand tiger shark<\/a> is the only shark known to come to the water\u2019s surface to gulp air. It\u2019s believed that this helps them stay buoyant and afloat when hunting for prey, allowing them to sneak up when they least expect an attack!<\/p>\n Did you know that sharks can have up to 30,000 teeth throughout their lifetime? That\u2019s right! They can grow and lose thousands of tiny, sharp teeth.<\/p>\n You might not know that around 40 shark species call the waters around the UK their home. From basking sharks to the Greenland shark, these are some of the most unique since they can regulate their body temperature in colder waters.<\/p>\n By counting the rings on a shark\u2019s cartilage backbone, you can roughly gauge its age. This is the same as very old trees! We calculate the age of trees in the same way \u2013 by counting the growth rings!<\/p>\n This species is an expert at blending in with the background to keep them safe from predators. Here at Blue Planet Aquarium, we\u2019re proud to house two species of these carpet sharks. Visitors can meet our spotted wobbegong<\/a> and western wobbegong in the tropical-themed Ocean Exhibit<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sharks\u2019 immune systems are thought to hold the key to fighting tumours and preventing heart disease, which is why they\u2019re often studied to help cure human ailments.<\/p>\n Research has helped bust the myth that sharks are attracted to the colour yellow. In fact, scientists believe that sharks are probably completely colour-blind.<\/p>\n The zebra shark<\/a> is possibly one of the most beautiful sharks in the world. It goes through an amazing transformation from juvenile shark to adult, which also makes it one of the most fascinating species. They only have their zebra-like stripes when they\u2019re younger and because these fade so much in adulthood, scientists believed they were two separate species until 1823!<\/p>\n Our exhibits at Blue Planet Aquarium are filled with incredible shark species. Come along and see them swimming around on <\/strong>your next visit<\/strong><\/a> and find out all about our one-of-a-kind shark dive experiences available for <\/strong>kids<\/strong><\/a> and <\/strong>adults<\/strong><\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"C \u2013 Collectively, sharks are referred to as a \u2018shiver\u2019<\/h3>\n
D \u2013 Dwarf lantern sharks are the smallest species<\/h3>\n
E \u2013 Ecosystems around the world rely heavily on sharks<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/neuronicdev.es\/bpa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/iStock-992837516-1024x683-3.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nF \u2013 First dorsal fins are located at the top of a shark\u2019s back<\/h3>\n
G \u2013 Greenland sharks can live up to 400 years<\/h3>\n
H \u2013 Hammerhead sharks are one of the few animals that can sunburn<\/h3>\n
I \u2013 Sharks are incredibly intelligent creatures<\/h3>\n
J \u2013 Jaguar catsharks are a relatively recently discovered species<\/h3>\n
K \u2013 Krill and other plankton are part of sharks\u2019 diets<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/neuronicdev.es\/bpa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/iStock-1219163702-1024x681-3.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nL \u2013 Largest shark is the whale shark<\/h3>\n
M \u2013 Mermaid purses are empty shark egg cases<\/h3>\n
N \u2013 Nictitating membranes are located on some sharks\u2019 eyes to protect their vision<\/h3>\n
O \u2013 Oceans are the natural home of sharks<\/h3>\n
P \u2013 \u2018Pup\u2019 is the name for baby sharks<\/h3>\n
Q \u2013 The quickest shark is the shortfin mako shark<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/neuronicdev.es\/bpa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/iStock-1332429136-1024x683-3.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nR \u2013 Records show that sharks have been on Earth for millions of years<\/h3>\n
S \u2013 Sand tiger sharks are the only shark species that come up to the surface to gulp for air<\/h3>\n
T \u2013 Teeth galore!<\/h3>\n
U \u2013 UK is home to some shark species<\/h3>\n
V \u2013 Sharks are classed as vertebrates<\/h3>\n
W \u2013 Wobbegong sharks are experts at camouflage<\/h3>\n
X \u2013 Experiment<\/h3>\n
Y \u2013 Sharks being attracted to the colour yellow is a myth<\/h3>\n
Z \u2013 Zebra sharks go through an amazing transformation in their appearance<\/h3>\n