Some sharks crush their prey. Others scoop out small pieces of flesh from large fish. Sharks also feed on dead or dying animals. Sharks have the reputation of attacking human beings. But fewer than 100 shark attacks a year are reported throughout the world.
Sharks differ from most other kinds of fish in a number of ways.
For example, sharks have a boneless skeleton made of a tough, elastic substance called cartilage. Most species of sharks have a rounded body, shaped somewhat like a torpedo. This streamlined shape helps sharks to swim. Angel sharks, which live near the ocean bottom, have a flat body similar to that of skates and rays. Sharks have fewer young at a time than most fish do.