Do sharks have bones?

EXPERTS forecast an increase in the number of shark attacks over the next few years thanks to environmental initiatives.

The rise in fatal incidents has prompted further questions about the composition of the deadly beasts compared to their human counterparts.

Do sharks have bones?

Sharks do not have bones. 

Instead, they use their gills to filter oxygen from the water.

They are a special type of fish known as "elasmobranchs”.

This means they are made of cartilaginous tissue.

In humans, this is the stuff that our ears and nose tip are made of.

As a result, sharks do not have a skeleton in the traditional sense - their skeleton is made up of cartilage.

Why do sharks have cartilage instead of bones?

Cartilage is strong, but unlike bone, it is squishier and can bend.

Although it’s too rubbery to support the weight of a person, for sharks it’s ideal.

According to Florida International University, sharks’ cartilaginous skeletons have helped them survive and thrive.

This is because cartilage is lighter than bone, meaning sharks don’t have to exert so much energy to swim.

Importantly it stops them from sinking when they stop swimming.

Cartilage also makes sharks faster and its jaws more flexible and extendable.

They can open their mouths much wider meaning the force of their bite is much more powerful.

Many large sharks, like great hammerheads, love to eat smaller sharks, while orcas, or killer whales, will eat large white sharks.

Do sharks have vertebrae?

Yes, sharks do have vertebrae.