Fish, Original Wild Facts

Wild Fact #935 – What a Big Mouth – Megamouth Shark

Photo Courtesy of www.planetsave.com
Photo Courtesy of www.planetsave.com

Let’s end the week of unusual Wild Facts where it all started.  Of course I am talking about heading back to the sea.  I am going to set up a scenario for you.  You are on vacation in the Phillipines and it is a gorgeous day out, I am talking sunny and hot.  Due to the warmth you decide to try your hand at surfing or maybe boogie boarding.  You paddle out there and you are just about to make your way back in when there is a commotion in the water.  You look back and you see the shark pictured above.  Now this is a 16′ long shark that weighs about 1600 pounds and has a large gaping mouth.  Now basically, you are starting to hear the jaws theme going through your head.  How would you feel? Would you be scared and start paddling like crazy to shore?

Well, if you can remember the Wild Fact about the Blue Whale then you should remember that you can’t judge a book by its cover.  That’s right, the megamouth shark is actually a filter feeder just like the large blue whale.  So you just had a heart attack out in the ocean for nothing!

The megamouth shark was identified in 1976 and since then only 47 specimens have been seen.  Because of this, little is actually known about these sharks but I will tell you some facts that are known.  We know that they are filter feeders that survive on krill (shrimp).  As well, a tagging study has shown that these large beasts actually migrate vertically throughout the day. What this means is they head to the deeper water during the day (i.e. 400′ depth) and move up to the shallow water in the evening.  Why does it migrate like this? Well, they are most likely following the large groups of krill that move up and down through the water column. Because of the large protruding mouth the megamouth shark was classified into an entirely new family.  So, how do these gentle beasts feed? Unfortunately, we have yet to witness the megamouth feeding but it is presumed that they protrude their jaw and expand their mouth while inhaling the shrimp.  They close their mouths and force the shrimp into their stomach.  So the next time you are out in the Pacific Ocean and you see a megamouth shark coming up behind you, don’t panic!

Before you turn off the computer check out this interview that Scientific American did with George Burgess, Director of FLMNH’s Florida Program for Shark Research, here.

I hope you enjoyed Wild Facts – The Weird and Unusual this week.

Have a great weekend!

7 Comments

  1. Well you’ve done it. I wasn’t aware of any of your wild facts posted this week. It was a learning experience every day of the week. To be honest though, if I were in the water and saw this guy coming up behind me, I don’t think I’d wait to see exactly which kind of a shark it is. I’d be paddling like crazy for shore.

    Have a great weekend Nathan and look forward to more next week.

    Love Auntie B.

    1. About time I managed to get a whole week of facts in that you weren’t already aware of. I have been trying to do that since I started 🙂

      You are probably right about just paddling like crazy to shore. I am sure I would do the same!

      Enjoy the rest of your weekend Aunt Bev!

  2. I enjoyed reading some of your posts this week and love all the photos of these weird or unique looking creatures, I really liked the look of that crab. Lots of interesting facts that I certainly never knew so I’m happy I ran across your blog through Entrecard, looking forward to learning more.

    1. Hi Jude!

      I am glad that you were enjoying the Wild Facts! As well, it is nice to have you here at Wild Facts. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions about anything wildlife related. I will do my best to answer them!

      Entrecard is a great way to find some interesting blogs, isn’t it? I have found so many blogs that I would never have thought about reading in the past. The blogging community is almost as diverse and interesting as the animal kingdom!

      Thanks for reading!!!

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