| First To The Fin-Ish
Silently, a fin cuts the water. The triangular shape zooms towards the hapless human paddling along in the shallows of the ocean. He turns and spots the fin. But can he escape those ferocious teeth in time? That would depend on how far he is from shore, and whether the swimmer is facing a Shortfin Mako shark, the fastest known shark species, capable of dashes that reach 32kph or 20mph. So speedy is the Shorfin, it can overtake delicious morsels for their daily menu, like tuna and swordfish. The same strength that allows it to swim fast, also powers mighty leaps out of the water, as high as 20 feet. For this reason, the Shortfin has become highly sought after for sport fishing.
A Shortfin Mako is recognizable by its cylinder shape, and smaller dorsal fin, as well as the caudal keep to its tail. Not to mention, those all too visible teeth, which show even when their mouths are closed. The teeth come in handy for a diet that tends to be on the crunchy side, with a taste for bony delights like swordfish, mackerel and tuna.
While found around the world, they prefer warmer waters with temperatures of over 60F. They also tend to hang out in shallow waters, or the upper levels of deeper regions, with a preference for anything from the surface down to 500 feet.
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