WATERY WEDNESDAY # 15

WATERY WEDNESDAY# 15

A rare and mysterious animal is the spotlight for today’s Watery Wednesday animal! This gentle giant is so elusive that its existence has only been known to people for the last 30 years! Wow! That’s one of the many great things about the world’s oceans; they’re still full of loads of mysteries! Let’s meet this big guy…

MEET THE MEGAMOUTH SHARK!

Range/Habitat: Atlantic Ocean-Pacific Ocean-Indian Ocean

Diet: Carnivore: plankton

Length/Weight: up to 18ft/ up to 2000lbs

Conservation Status: Unknown

Fun Facts:

• Megamouth sharks were discovered in 1976!
• Only 53 sharks have been seen since their discovery.
• Megamouth sharks have large mouths that they use to filter tiny plankton from the water.
• The roof of their mouth is silvery color and is thought to help attract plankton.
• They are believed to live in deep waters. It is most likely though that they swim where the plankton is.

Wow! This large shark doesn’t have a mouth full of sharp and pointy teeth, but instead filters out tiny plankton from the water! Can you believe that they’ve been living in our oceans for a very long time, but we just found them 30 years ago? Crazy!