Although they are slow and sluggish, basking sharks and whale sharks are considered dangerous because of their large size. The most important sense the shark uses in detecting its prey is sound. Their acute hearing can detect a struggling fish 2 km away. Sharks do not have external ears. Instead, a tiny duct carries sound waves to the inner ear.
Sharks can also detect sound with their lateral line system.
This system is made up of hundreds of pores along the side of the shark's body. It is also highly sensitive to wave movements, pressure changes and vibrations in the water. Sharks can sense electrical impulses produced by animals. This sense helps them detect animals hidden beneath the sand. Scientists have demonstrated that sharks are able to learn at a rate similar to white rats and pigeons.