| Leopard
sharks are found in Elkhorn Slough mostly during summer (more
info). They come into the shallow water to give birth to live young.
The adults can be up to 7 feet long, feeding on animals that live in the
mud, like the Fat
Innkeeper Worm. These sharks
are not harmful to humans due to their small teeth and timid nature. They
can be seen from land cruising the shallow waters in late summer.
Sharks are well known for their teeth. They have a lifetime supply and are constantly growing new rows of spares. A shark may have anywhere from 5 to 20 rows of teeth. Only the front row of teeth stick up, the others lie flat behind it. With all these teeth, it is surprising that sharks don't chew their food. They use them just to rip and cut food, then swallow it whole. They have no bones! They have cartilage instead – like the what human ears are made of. They feel sound waves through a row of pores in their skin called a lateral line. Sharks have pores in their heads that help detect weak bio-electric field of other animals. They have a keen sense of smell and excellent hearing. |
