Shark Senses

Sharks have six highly refined senses: smell, hearing, touch, taste, sight, and electromagnetism. These finely honed senses, along with a sleek, torpedo-shaped body, make most sharks highly skilled hunters. They often serve as top predators—keeping populations of prey species in check. Removing them in large numbers can have ripple effects that throw entire ecosystems out of balance.  

Read the blog Do Sharks Smell in Stereo? and watch this photo slideshow of a great white shark hunting to learn more about how a shark uses its senses. Discover more about shark's biology, habitat, and status in the Great White Shark section.

 

A diagram of a shark's six highly refined senses: smell, hearing, touch, taste, sight, and electromagnetism
© Shark Foundation

View Related Ocean Media Content

comment_wrapper_curve_top

Share your comments here.

* When you click submit, your comment will be added to the queue for review and will be published after approval.

  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Filtered words will be replaced with the filtered version of the word.

More information about formatting options

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 03/17/2010 - 7:10pm.

This only shows a diagram.It has no information.

Submitted by Ocean Portal Team on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 10:29am.

Thanks for your interest in learning more. You can see the full description of shark senses and other information by clicking the link in the description above the image. It links to an entire page on the life and natural history of the great white shark.

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 06/05/2010 - 11:36am.

This rendering is not of a great white shark.

Submitted by Ocean Portal Team on Mon, 06/07/2010 - 4:53pm.

You're right--good eye! We've fixed this. Thank you.

comment_wrapper_curve