In late spring, estuaries along the U.S. Gulf Coast come alive with newborn fish and other sea life. While some species have struggled to adjust to the region’s rising water temperatures in recent years, one is thriving: juvenile bull sharks.
Despite the bull shark’s fearsome reputation, baby bull sharks are not cause for concern for humans in these waters.
While adult bull sharks are responsible for an occasional unprovoked attack, baby bull sharks haven’t fully developed the skills needed to hunt larger prey. And you’re still far more likely to be killed by bees, wasps or snakes than sharks.
The fascinating life of a young bull shark
Most sharks are fully marine and spend their entire lives in the ocean. Bull sharks, however, are one of a handful of shark species that use freshwater environments as nurseries.
Baby bull sharks have been found in the Alabama River, 75 miles north of the ocean, and up the Mississippi River as far as Illinois. They have evolved to tolerate fresh water by reducing the need for salts and urea in their bodies compared to marine sharks, and actively taking in more salts through their food and across their gills.
In Texas, young bull shark numbers have been increasing in estuaries like Galveston Bay and Sabine Lake over the past 40 years, particularly where rivers like the Trinity, Sabine and Neches intersect with these ecosystems. These areas may offer protection from predators, such as bigger sharks.
In late spring, estuaries along the U.S. Gulf Coast come alive with newborn fish and other sea life. While some species have struggled to adjust to the region’s rising water temperatures in recent years, one is thriving: juvenile bull sharks.
Despite the bull shark’s fearsome reputation, baby bull sharks are not cause for concern for humans in these waters.
While adult bull sharks are responsible for an occasional unprovoked attack, baby bull sharks haven’t fully developed the skills needed to hunt larger prey. And you’re still far more likely to be killed by bees, wasps or snakes than sharks.
Oil and gas production facilities could reduce associated emissions by more than 80% by switching to electricity generated from renewables or natural gas designated for burning, a report
Russia's vast Krasnoyarsk region declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to heavy rains killing winter crops during sprouting time, bringing the total number of Siberian grain-
Canada's carbon emissions declined slightly in 2023 from the previous year but need to fall much faster to meet Ottawa's 2030 climate target, the Canadian Climate Institute think-tank said
A storm system that has wreaked havoc across central Europe brought devastating floods to the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna on Thursday for the second year in a row,