9781422276747

Freshwater biologists know of four main types of sharks that spend time in freshwater rivers—the Ganges shark, the northern river shark, the bull shark, and the speartooth shark. We know that there are at least two more types of river sharks, but they are very difficult to locate and study. Freshwater sharks are elusive—they are difficult to spot and tend to keep themselves hidden, swimming near the bottom of deep, murky rivers. Most freshwater sharks are severely endangered; so few of them exist that they are difficult to study. Their tendency to remain out of the sight of humans not only makes it difficult to figure out their behaviors, but also makes it difficult to pin down their exact habitat as well. Freshwater sharks have been spotted in South and Southeast Asia, Africa, North America, New Guinea, and Australia, but it’s possible that they exist in other areas of the world as well.

River sharks are hard to find in muddy, dark river water.

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