Spotting the Friendliest Sharks in the Sea ...

By Alison

Some of the friendliest shark species do exist and while nobody wants to brush up against a fin in the ocean, the media does a poor job of portraying these fish, for there are actually some friendly sharks out there. What’s amazing to me is that the ancient fossils found date these amazing fish back to 420 million years ago, and since then, they’ve diversified into approximately 470 species! There have to be some friendly shark species in that number, right? I’ve found 7 of the friendliest shark species that really pose no danger to humans or divers to prove it!

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1

Leopard Shark

Leopard Shark One of the friendliest shark species I’ve actually seen resides off the coast of California, which happens to be where I live. The dotted pattern is what gives them their name. They are harmless and relatively small in size, measuring 5 feet long. Schools of them can be spotted swimming the Pacific coastline, as far north as Oregon and as far south as Mexico. They favor sandy, muddy flats and they swim really close to the bottom of the ocean floor, where they forage for food. They come alive at night, so you’re more likely to find them lying passively still, if you’re ever swimming during the day in the La Jolla cove!

2

Zebra Shark

Zebra Shark Another bottom dweller, zebra sharks are pretty relaxed as far as sharks go! Known for the dots on their back, and being longer in length at 8 feet, these guys can be found off the coast of the Philippines and the Indo-Pacific region. Similar to the leopard shark, they enjoy resting on sandy flats, close to coral reefs, and they are nocturnal too, which is when they feed on sea snakes and small fish.

UPD:

Affectionately called the "puppy dogs of the sea" due to their docile nature, zebra sharks have distinctive juvenile markings resembling stripes, which morph into spots as they mature—hence the name. Despite their size, they pose little threat to divers, making them popular with underwater enthusiasts. As they skim the ocean floor, they are often spotted by divers who are thrilled to observe their graceful, meandering swims. These gentle giants are indeed a sight to behold, with their spotted skin and languid movements being a true spectacle in the underwater world.

3

Hammerhead Shark

Hammerhead Shark Known for their unique head shape (which looks like the end of a household tool – well sort of!), it was thought that the heads on these sharks evolved to give them panoramic vision. However, their head shape gives them stealth and agility of movement when approaching their prey. These sharks roam in temperate and tropical waters, swimming the coastlines and continental shelves around the globe. Surprisingly, they grow up to 20 feet long (lengthy in the shark world) and unlike most sharks, they swim in schools during the day and hunt solo at night.

UPD:

The Hammerhead Shark is one of the most recognizable sharks in the sea, thanks to its unique head shape. It's been thought that the shape of its head gives it a wider field of vision, allowing it to spot its prey more easily. Hammerhead Sharks can be found swimming in temperate and tropical waters, and can grow up to 20 feet long, making them one of the larger sharks in the ocean.

The Hammerhead Shark is a social creature, and will often swim in schools during the day. At night, however, they become solitary hunters, using their heads to detect the electric fields of their prey. They can be found in coastal areas, continental shelves, and even in coral reefs.

The Hammerhead Shark is a fascinating creature, and is known to be one of the friendliest sharks in the sea. It is known for its curiosity and willingness to approach divers, making it a great animal to observe up close. It is also known to be gentle and non-aggressive, and is not considered a threat to humans.

4

Angel Shark

Angel Shark This shark species even sounds nice! They look more like Manta rays due to their flat bodies and fact that they swim parallel to the bottom of the ocean floor, yet they are a shark and have powerful jaws and sharp teeth, just like their carnivorous cousins. Angel sharks are on the critically endangered red list (by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature), meaning this species is threatened to become extinct.

5

Whale Shark

Whale Shark Whale sharks have been known to give divers rides on their backs and the young sharks tend to play with humans and really don’t pose any threat to us. These heavyweights (21 tons) swim in tropical waters and can be found off the coasts of Belize, Western Australia, Mexico, Sri Lanka and Mozambique. One of the largest gatherings ever encountered was off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, when a school of 400 whale sharks was sighted in 2011.

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6

Bluntnose Sixgill Shark

Bluntnose Sixgill Shark The bluntnose sixgill shark, also known as the cow shark, tends to dwell on the bottom of the ocean floor. Little is know about it, however it is frequently studied due to this fact. This shark is tan-brown in color with spots on its fins. It moves quite sluggishly, but it can move at high speeds when preying on its favorite food – salmon and mollusks.

7

Bigeye Thresher Shark

Bigeye Thresher Shark The bigeye thresher shark is known for its large eyes – 4 inches, which move upwards in their sockets. You’re more likely to see this lengthy shark species (12 feet long) in tropical seas – think Venezuela and Brazil, although they have been spotted off Cuba and Florida too. They swim in deep waters during the day and surface to feed at night, when their prey literally gets stunned from the whips of their long tails! These sharks feature on the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) list, for they’re pursued by sports fishermen off the coast of New Zealand, South Africa and the U.S.

Would you have ever thought that friendly sharks like these exist?

Sources: sharks-world.com

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

What about lemon or nurse sharks??

What the smallest sharks reef sharks, etc they are such a gentle species.

they also play with humans

EXCUSE ME!!!!! Hammer Heads are dangerous and carnivorous

#2 also a nurse shark cause they only eat mollusks and things off the sea floor

Ehm… the hammerhead is one of the most aggressive sharks in the world tho..

#1 it is super cute

#3 There have been 16 hammerhead attacks since 1900. No deaths. Not the most dangerous shark but I wouldn’t call them the least dangerous. There are far less dangerous sharks you did not include in your list!!

I agree with Rabia they are carnivorous ! Just stay away from sharks unless your used to swimming with them!

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