Around 400 shark species have been identified, but only about a dozen are considered particularly dangerous. Three species are responsible for most human attacks: great white, tiger and bull sharks.

Sharks rarely attack humans; most human attacks are a case of mistaken identity. Surfers can look much like a seal to a shark from underneath! You are more likely to be killed by falling coconuts, donkeys or bee stings than a shark.

The shortfin mako is often recognized as the world's speediest shark. It has clocked speeds of up to 20 miles an hour and can probably swim even faster than that. Makos are fast enough to catch even tuna and swordfish.

The largest shark in the world is the whale shark which can grow to 20 meters long. The gentle giant eats tiny plankton.

Sharks can replace lost teeth in as little as 24 hours and may use thousands of teeth over the course of a lifetime. Ancient teeth are the source of most known shark fossils.

Sharks bodies are different to fish in many ways, instead of their skeletons being made of bone they are cartilage, similar to the stuff we have in our noses and ears. They have skin instead of scales and have 5 gills rather than just 1.