Cape Shark   SHARK
 
Advertisement
 
Scientific Name:
Squalus acanthias
Other Names and/or Listed subspecies:
Piked Dogfish, Spurdog
Group:
Fishes
Status/Date Listed as Endangered:
VU-IUCN: 2006
Area(s) Where Listed As Endangered:
Africa, Asia, Australia, Central America, Europe, Middle East, North America (including United States), South America

The Cape Shark, also known as the spiny dogfish, is a small, sleek shark with a long, pointed nose and a slim body. Its back is grayish-brown, and its belly is white, helping it blend into the ocean when viewed from above or below. It has two dorsal fins on its back, each with a sharp spine for defense. Unlike most sharks, the Cape Shark doesn't have flashy stripes or spots, but its smooth skin feels like fine sandpaper.

Cape Sharks live in cool, shallow waters near coasts and are found all over the world, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. They like to stay in groups, called schools, often with hundreds of other sharks! These sharks give birth to live babies, called pups, instead of laying eggs. The mother carries her pups inside her for almost two years--the longest pregnancy of any shark species! When the pups are born, they are fully formed and ready to swim on their own.

Cape Sharks are threatened because people have caught too many of them for food and to use their liver oil in products. Over-fishing has made it hard for their populations to recover, especially because it takes them so long to have babies. To help, governments are setting fishing limits and protecting areas where these sharks live, giving them a chance to grow their numbers and thrive again.




Wikipedia Article

This article is only an excerpt. If it appears incomplete or if you wish to see article references, visit the rest of its contents here.
Wikipedia Article
Copyright Notice: This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Spiny dogfish".

Featured Article

Twelve Incredibly Odd Endangered Creatures
1. Solenodon
The solenodon is a mammal found primarily in Cuba and Hispanola. The species was thought to be extinct until scientists found a few still alive in 2003. Solenodons only prefer to come out at night. They eat primarily insects and they are one of the few mammal species that are venomous, delivering a very powerful toxin. Symptoms of a solenodon bite are very similar to a snake bite, including swelling and severe pain, lasting several days.

Read More...


Advertisement


Endangered Species of Our Planet

Donate, Adopt, Get Involved

EEC Conservation Directory
Donate

Mailing List

Would you like to receive a notice and link when the new Creature Feature is posted?

Enter your e-mail address below:

 

Fun & Games

Are you inspired by endangered animals? Check out our games and coloring pages! More to come soon.
color endangered creatures
play hangman