All About The Blue Shark: The Marathon Swimmer

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The blue shark (Prionace glauca) is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae. It is common throughout the Atlantic Ocean and can be found as far north as Norway and as far south as Chile. It can grow to more than long, with a streamlined body that is blue on top and white below.

Blue sharks are one of the most migratory shark species and can be found in all marine habitats except polar regions. They have been nicknamed the 'marathon shark' due to their propensity for long-distance swimming.

Description and Appearance

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Blue sharks are large-bodied and grow rapidly, reaching sexual maturity at three years of age. The females tend to be larger than the males. They have slender, streamlined bodies that are long and deep. The body is blue on top and white or yellow below with a prominent black spot behind the dorsal fin. Its pectoral fins are angular in shape and can be folded against its sides while swimming to reduce drag.

Blue sharks have large eyes with a nictitating membrane (protective third eyelid) that helps protect their eyes while swimming in open water. They have small mouths and sharp, pointed teeth that are designed for slicing through prey.

Blue sharks have a slender, streamlined body with two long keels on their back. The upper body is blue, while the underside is white.

Seeing one in real life is harder than it sounds. But if you’re captivated to see what that blue and white body looks like, you can’t go wrong with Gage Beasley’s very own Blue Shark Soft Stuffed Plush Toy! It’s literally everything a blue shark is, except the fact that it's in plushie form.

Gage Beasley’s Blue Shark Soft Stuffed Plush Toy

Diet

Blue sharks are active predators and may travel alone or in groups of more than 100. They swim slowly but are capable of short bursts when attacking prey. When blue sharks attack they thrash their bodies before biting their target.

They are opportunistic feeders and will eat a wide variety of prey, including fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, and sometimes even garbage. Blue sharks feed on fish like tuna and mackerel, and squid. They have also been known to eat other sharks.

Reproduction

They are viviparous, with the embryos feeding on any ova produced by their mother. The female gives birth to litters of six or seven pups, which are up to about long.

Distribution and Conservation

Photo: Alessandro De Maddalena via Getty Images

Blue sharks are found in all the world's temperate and tropical seas. They are not considered to be a threatened species, but they are fished for food and sport by humans. Blue sharks are highly migratory and can be found in all marine habitats except the polar regions. They are most commonly seen near the surface but can dive to depths of 1500m.

Blue sharks are the most common shark caught in European waters. They have been listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2007.

What You Can Do To Help

The best way to help protect blue sharks is to ask your local seafood market where their fish comes from. If the seafood is not labeled, you can ask the store manager to contact the supplier and find out.

You can also support organizations that work to protect sharks, such as The Shark Trust or Wild Aid.

Final Thoughts

Blue sharks are one of the most migratory shark species in the world and can be found in all marine habitats except polar regions. They have been nicknamed the 'marathon shark' due to their propensity for long-distance swimming.

Blue sharks are highly migratory and can be found in all marine habitats except the polar regions. They are most commonly seen near the surface but can dive to depths of over a thousand meters. They are opportunistic feeders and will eat a wide variety of prey, including fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, and sometimes even garbage. They are viviparous, with the embryos feeding on any ova produced by their mother. The female gives birth to litters of six or seven pups, which are up to about long.

Blue sharks have been listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2007.

You can support organizations that work to protect sharks, such as The Shark Trust or Wild Aid.

 Cheers!

~GB