PowerSharks! is a fast-paced, fact-filled card game where players learn about sharks past and present while trying to gain the highest score and avoid going extinct!
Game creators Ray Troll and Matt Celeskey are some real shark a-fish-ionados who keep up with the latest news and discoveries from the watery world of sharks. We'll try to keep you updated on this website, so check back often. And if you'd like to learn more about sharks (and have a lot of fun), we'd recommend getting your hands on a deck of PowerSharks! It's fintastic!
Shark Watch
Well, its been a little while, but then the shark stories started flying fast and furious:Shark bites boy
A nine-year old boy visiting Florida was bitten twice on the leg by a shark early Sunday afternoon, according to this story in The St. Augustine Record. The unidentified lad is expected to make a full recovery. The whereabouts of the unidentified shark are currently unknown.Bull Sharks Busy in Brazil
Sharks attacked two people in shallow waters off the northeast coast of Brazil this weekend. A 24 year old woman was bitten on her hips and thighs on Saturday, and on Sunday a 17 year old boy lost his left hand, foot, and part of his leg in a shark attack. This makes five attacks reported in the state of Pernambuco so far this year, raising concerns that 2004 will meet or exceed the record set in 1994, when 11 attacks occurred. Although one story suggests that the bulk of these attacks are made by hammerhead and tiger sharks that patrol the reef, this report from the Houston Chronicle reveals that shark attacks increased after a port opened in a Bull shark breeding grounds.Bull sharks are one of the most dangerous species of shark from a human's point of view. They are extremely tolerant of freshwater and often make their homes near the mouths of rivers and streams, making them far more likely to encounter people than most other predatory sharks.
Wobbegong bites man
The mysterious Wobbegong is decidedly intolerant of freshwater, a fact that has kept an Australian man from going through life with an Orectolobid on his leg. Wobbegongs are known for their flat profile, cryptic coloring, and decorative fringe, which makes them look more like a piece of the seafloor than dangerous predators. These camoflaged chondrichthyans typically hide amongst algae-covered rocks, snapping up any fish that swim too close. But swimmer Luke Tresoglavic must have crossed the wrong Wobby, which not only bit him on the leg but refused to let go even after leaving the water. Other swimmers were unsuccessful in dislodging the shark, which remained clamped to Mr. Tresoglavic's leg while he drove to the beach's clubhouse. Once there, lifeguards sprayed the Wobbegong with fresh water until it relaxed its grip. Story in Outdoor Life.Fast Fish and Mako-motion
The magnificent mako are the fastest sharks in the sea, fins down. They've been reliably measured swimming at speeds of 31 miles per hour, and its not unlikely that they can travel at 45 mph for short bursts. A recent study of "mako-motion" has shown that these sharks have evolved special adaptations that allow them to swim more powerfully and efficiently than almost any other fish.Most fish (and most sharks) swim using long, side-to-side motions that travel along the length of their bodies, providing thrust and propelling them forward. Makos, on the other hand, have highly developed muscles near the center of their body, which connect directly to their tails by long tendons. This means that when muscles flex in their sides, the movement is transferred directly to the end of the tail, instead of having to ripple down the length of their body. These speedy sharks swish their tails faster and more forcefully than other fish.
Interestingly, makos aren't unique in developing these super-swimming adaptations. Tuna fish are fast swimmers that have a very similar set of adaptations. But makos and tuna aren't closely related&mdashin fact, tunas are probably more closely related to you and me than to any shark. So tunas and makos evolved these adaptations convergently, that is, they independently developed similar traits in order to become efficient, high-speed swimmers.