Sharks can indeed propel themselves out of the water, a spectacular behavior often referred to as breaching. This aerial display showcases their remarkable adaptations within their aquatic environment.
Understanding Shark Aerial Behaviors
Sharks achieve aerial behaviors through a combination of speed, powerful musculature, and hydrodynamic efficiency. Breaching involves the shark launching its entire body clear of the water’s surface. This requires rapid acceleration from depths, often reaching speeds of over 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour) just before breaking the surface. Their caudal fin provides the primary propulsion, generating thrust to overcome the water’s resistance and launch them into the air.
Other aerial displays include partial breaches or “spy-hopping,” where only the head or part of the body emerges. The shark’s streamlined body shape and cartilaginous skeleton contribute to its ability to move swiftly through water and launch with minimal drag. The force generated propels them upward, sometimes reaching heights of several feet above the surface.
Reasons Sharks Breach
Sharks engage in aerial behaviors for several reasons. One primary reason is predatory hunting, particularly observed in species like the great white shark when ambushing prey such as seals from below. The shark launches vertically at high speed to strike its target at the surface. This strategy can stun or kill prey on impact.
Another hypothesized reason for breaching is to dislodge parasites or remoras that attach to their skin. The impact of re-entering the water could help shake off these attachments. Breaching may also serve as a form of communication, signaling presence or dominance to other sharks in the vicinity. Some observations suggest that breaching could also be a display of curiosity or even play, though these behaviors are less understood.
Commonly Observed Jumping Sharks
Several shark species are known for aerial displays. Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are famous for breaching, especially in areas like False Bay, South Africa, where they hunt seals. These breaches are often part of a predatory ambush, with the shark launching itself completely out of the water in pursuit of prey. The sheer force and height of these jumps make them a notable natural spectacle.
Mako sharks (Isurus spp.), both shortfin and longfin, are also known for their leaps, particularly when hooked by anglers or during high-speed chases. Their torpedo-shaped bodies allow them to achieve heights and distances in the air. Thresher sharks (Alopias spp.) exhibit a unique behavior where they use their elongated caudal fin to stun schools of fish. While not always a full breach, they often break the surface with their tails as they whip them through the water to incapacitate their prey.