There are more than 500 species of sharks swimming in the oceans today, which are split across eight orders: Carcharhiniformes; Hederodotiformes; Hexanchiformes; Lamniformes; Orectolobiformes; Pristiophoriformes; Squaliformes; and Squatiniformes. Each has unique characteristics and behaviours. As sharks continue to be studied, we are learning more and more about the critical role they may play in ocean ecosystems.

Crucially for seagrass and coral reef habitats, they help to regulate the populations of other predatory fish, like groupers, who would otherwise exist in abundance, and feed on the herbivores who feed on the macroalgae. With fewer herbivores, macroalgae would expand and overpower the coral, affecting the health and survival of the reef system.

One study also found that seagrass ecosystems without sharks were less resilient to climate change, and it is likely that sharks play similar roles worldwide. Healthy shark populations also support communities whose livelihoods depend on local shark species for food and ecotourism.

Amazing predators, sharks have evolved over thousands of years to become one of the most powerful creatures in the sea. Keep reading to discover interesting facts about sharks.

The scientific name for all sharks and rays is Elasmobranchii, but each species of sharks and rays also has its own scientific name.

Many species of shark are classified as endangered or threatened due to slow reproduction rates, habitat loss, and overfishing.

Approximately 50% of shark species are threatened or near threatened with extinction. Pelagic sharks (species of sharks found on the high seas) have declined by 71% in the past 50 years alone, while the whale shark, goblin shark, basking shark, hammerhead shark, and tiger shark are just a few examples of endangered sharks listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Risks to sharks and rays include habitat loss, pollution, and overfishing. They also have slow reproduction rates, which means that it takes time for decreasing populations to recover.

The exact number of sharks killed each year is uncertain, but estimates range up to 273 million.

More than 100 million sharks are killed in commercial fisheries each year—about twice what scientists estimate to be sustainable.

Shark habitats are as varied as sharks themselves. So the answer to the question “where do sharks live?” is simply: in water.

Some shark species (such as the great white shark) prefer cooler waters, while others (like the whale shark) prefer warmer waters. Some sharks (like the bull shark) are even able to live in both saltwater and freshwater environments. You’ll find sharks in many types of bodies of water, including:

All known sharks either have a carnivorous diet, meaning they mostly eat larger marine animals, or a planktivorous diet, meaning they feed primarily on tiny species of plankton. Planktivores (including the megamouth shark, whale shark, and basking shark) feed on planktonic food, such as zooplankton and phytoplankton. Carnivores (all other sharks) eat anything from small fish, squid, and turtles, all the way up to seals and other sharks, depending on their size.