Silky sharks may not have the world-wide fame of great white or hammerhead sharks, but with their super speed, shiny skin and bold behaviour, they're one of our personal favourite pelagic species. Intrigued? So are we. Read on to discover our favourite silky shark facts and find out what makes these sleek predators so fascinating.
Other names
The silky shark (scientifically known as Carcharhinus falciformis, if we're being fancy), gets its name from its smooth skin, which is almost velvety in appearance. These sharks are also known by other names such as ridgeback shark (thanks to its ridged back), olive shark (because of its colouring) and sickle shark (due to its sickle-shaped dorsal fin). They can also be referred to as blackspot sharks, as the juveniles often have faint dark spots at the base of their dorsal fin.
Habitat
Inhabiting the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, silky sharks often roam the deep waters by the day and venture closer to reefs at night. While they're most at home in the open ocean, don't be surprised if you spot them close to land near Cocos Island in Costa Rica, the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador, Socorro Island in Mexico or Brothers Islands and Daedalus Reef in the Red Sea. Your best chances of seeing them, however, are on blue water dives during the warmer months, where prey migration draws them closer to the surface.
Super speed
Silky sharks are perfectly built for life in the fast lane. Males typically grow up to seven or eight feet, while females can reach up to ten. These long bodies are equipped with slender pectoral fins and rounded snouts to aid with agility, and their skin is made up of a tiny tooth-like structure called dermal denticles. These help to reduce drag in the water, resulting in their super speed.
Fuss-free diet
Our next silky shark fact focuses on their fuss-free diet - these creatures are opportunistic eaters and take full advantage of whatever's on the menu. We all have our favourites, however. These include bony fish like tuna, mackerel and sardines, with some popular side dishes including squid, cuttlefish and crustaceans. Their hunting techniques are all about speed and agility, ambushing their prey and using a quick flick of their tail to stun before they go in for the kill. Vicious.
Curiosity with consequences
Silky sharks are bold and active. They're known for their curiosity and aren't shy about checking out unfamiliar objects, including divers, boats and even floating debris. However, their curious nature can sometimes lead to trouble, as their investigations can bring them dangerously close to fishing operations.
Social Nature
While silky sharks are generally solitary, they're not opposed to some socialising, especially when there's food involved. They've been known to form loose groups around large schools of fish, floating debris or even whale carcasses.
Migration
Silky sharks are long-haul travellers, covering thousands of miles across the oceans in search of food and mates. Their movements often mirror their favourite prey, like tuna and squid, motivating their remarkable migratory behaviour. This makes them one of the ocean's most migratory shark species, and through satellite tagging, one individual has even been recorded travelling 5,000 miles from the United States to Brazil. Light work.
Reproduction
When it comes to baby silky sharks, mum does all the hard work. Silky sharks are viviparous, meaning the pups (baby sharks) develop inside the mother and are nourished by a placenta (unlike egg-laying sharks, whose young develop outside of the mother). After 12 long months of gestation, the female gives birth to between two and 16 pups, each about three foott long. Once born, however, the pups are alone, fending for themselves in shallow coastal nurseries.
Adaptations
Silky sharks have evolved several key adaptations to thrive in their pelagic environment. One of their most extraordinary adaptations is their electroreception abilities, where they use special sensors - called ampullae of lorenzini - to detect the electrical fields of other animals. Simply put, this helps them to locate their prey, even in the murkiest of waters. Like many sharks, their keen sense of smell also plays a part in hunting, as they can sniff out tiny amounts of blood and other chemical cues from far away, leading them straight to their next meal.
Conservation status
Sadly, silky sharks are listed as near threatened globally on the IUCN Red List due to overfishing and bycatch. These sharks are highly sought after for their fins, which are used in shark fin soup, and are often caught unintentionally in tuna fisheries. Efforts are underway to protect them through improving fishing regulations, creating marine protected areas and raising awareness through campaigns, helping to ensure these sleek predators continue to thrive in our oceans.
If you enjoyed this blog, you may also enjoy Our Top Ten Hammerhead Shark Facts, Our Top Ten Facts About Great White Sharks or Our Top Tiger Shark Facts.
