Katherine Maslenikov, manager of the University of Washington Fish Collection at the Burke Museum, talks about shark behavior, possible myths, and their role in the ecosystem.
Here are a few quick facts about the apex predators:
- The Pacific Northwest is home to several smaller species, including the dogfish family of sharks, leopard sharks and sixgill sharks. Off the coast of Washington are larger species, including great white and salmon sharks.
- Sharks can, however, smell blood in the water and can detect everything moving around them by sensing minute changes in electrical currents, making them very good at finding prey, Maslenikov said.
- The longest living species is the Greenland shark in the Atlantic Ocean, which can live more than 400 years. The fastest-known shark is the shortfin mako, which can speed along at up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) per hour.