Shark Week: My Top 5 Sharks

So this year's Shark Week (one of my favorite times of year!) is winding down. In order to commemorate another successful year of watching sharks swim in slow motion, I'm going to count down my Top 5 Favorite Sharks. Because, let's face it, when it comes to a lot of my interests, they're the same as any seven year-old boy: dinosaurs, video games, space, and sharks.

#5. Whale Shark


I love whale sharks. Not only because of their massive size, but because they're so docile. When people think of huge sharks, they always think of Jaws and white sharks, but in reality in the biggest sharks are gentle giants. I love the pattern of their skin, I love that they're filter feeders, and it's one of my life's goals to be able to swim with one someday.

#4. Tiger Shark


You can take your white sharks and your bull sharks. If I had to pick my top deadly shark, it would be the tiger. Not only are they excellent super predators, but the markings on their skin are beautiful. They also predate on birds, turtles, and just about anything else they can eat, which is super interesting. I even love the shape of their teeth.

#3. Oceanic Whitetip Shark


I think this shark has the potential to be the scariest. If you get dumped out in the middle of the ocean, it isn't going to be a white shark that's coming for you - it's gonna be this guy. These are the ones who pick off shipwreck survivors. Beyond that, I think they're really pretty! I love the color on them - which is the same reason I love black tips too, but they just weren't pretty and awesome enough to make the top five.

#2. Blue Shark


Blue sharks are probably, hands down, the most beautiful and adorable sharks ever! Their color is just amazing and I love their big round eyes. For a long time, they were my number one shark just because of how beautiful they were. I love that they're tenacious too. These guys are bottomless pits - they literally gorge themselves on food to the point where they'll throw up. They're the binge-eaters of the ocean and that cracks me up.

#1. Great Hammerhead Shark


This is the most wicked looking shark in the ocean. I love the shape of its dorsal fin - it has that perfect curve to it that just personifies "shark!" to me. I love all hammerheads, really. I like the little bonnet heads and the scalloped hammers. I think they just look so alien and interesting.

I would loooove to one day have the opportunity to swim with each of these. Sharks still have such a bad reputation, despite how much effort has been made to change that. Not only that, but they're targeted for their meat, fins, and just because they happen to eat the same fish we do (surprisingly, considering they live in the ocean...). So hey, Discovery Channel... if you ever feel like you'd like to add an armchair sharkologist blogger with a go-get-'em-attitude to your roster for next year, hit me up! You won't even have to pay me to get in the water with them.