In The Game of Sharks, You Swim or You Glide

A Week of Sharks and Fishes presents: Game Of Sharks. Coming to a Discovery Channel near you tonight!

In the great kingdom just below the surface of Earth’s landmasses, a battle for supremacy is taking place. Hundreds of shark Houses (i.e. species) compete fiercely for the right to claim the Jagged Tooth Throne and rule as King of Earth’s Sharks. This deadly competition lends itself to the many subtleties and incredibly high intelligence of sharks, but is unbeknownst to the humans who inhabit Earth (namely because we just made it up).

There are hundreds of shark species on Earth, a select few of which form the Major Houses, while the rest live in servitude to the nobility. Let’s take a look at some of the shark Houses who are called upon to play The Game of Sharks.

House Great White: The King Of Sharks

It should come as no surprise that House Great White reigns as the king of sharks. Like they say, “a great white never delays his threats.” The words of House Great White, See Me Soar, refer to their ability to leap out of the ocean when they hunt. Their leap is so powerful that they can fully clear the water on a jump! They do it by accelerating as they swim upward from a depth of 100 feet. By the time they are right below their prey, the great white is moving at around 20 miles per hour and hits its victim with enough force to instantly stun or kill. This method is used frequently upon seals, which make excellent dinners, and rival sharks, who may be scheming for the Jagged Tooth Throne.

House Hammerhead: Nobility, Not Carpentry

Although House Hammerhead is a powerful group, they are highly sensitive to being teased about their T-shaped head. They have been so picked on by other Houses that hammerheads have retired to the warm, tropical areas of Earth. They are fierce predators, though, in part due to their uniquely-shaped head. It features eyes at each end, which enables a nearly 360-degree field of view while in motion. It also helps them maintain balance and pick up electrical impulses from other creatures, which is a primary way they detect prey.

House Tiger: An Insatiable Appetite

The appetite of House Tiger is well known across the land, and with it comes their ambition to be kings. (There is in fact a rumor of an alliance between Houses Great White and Tiger, a betrothal of young King Sharkffrey to eligible Lady Sharkery). The tiger shark is viewed with some criticism, because they are known as “the garbage gut of the sea.” You see, tiger sharks will eat just about anything. Odd items found in a tiger shark’s stomach include a chicken coop, a bag of money, boat cushions, a tom-tom drum, barrels, overcoats, boots, explosives, hyenas, monkeys, deer antlers, and a bag of potatoes. So uncouth.

House Whale: The Gentle Giants of Oceania

The size of a whale shark may intimidate you, but like another gentle, simpleminded giant we know, House Whale proves that looks can be deceiving. At more than 40 feet across, the whale shark is the largest fish in Earth’s ocean, but they are not aggressive hunters. This House is among the pacifistic group known as “filter feeders,” which simply swim along with their mouths wide open, sucking in whatever happens to be in their path. (This usually amounts to plankton, small fish, and lots of water). The whale shark swallows the food and expels the water through their gills. One should not fear the whale shark...unless one is a small fish.

House Bull: We Have Anger Management Issues

If you think House Hammerhead is sensitive, then you’ve seen nothing yet. One must never offend a member of House Bull. Although these sharks are considered medium sized, they pack in the fury of a giant. Their anger and aggression make them very formidable on the field of battle. They also do not take kindly to cravens; because the bull shark is one of the few shark species capable of surviving in both freshwater and saltwater, their prey has nowhere to escape. Bull sharks owe this ability to their kidneys, which can remove large amounts of urea (a salty compound) from the bloodstream, allowing them to survive in freshwater. As a result, the bull shark can be found in lakes, rivers, lagoons, and the moats of rival shark castles.

House Blacktip Reef: Sticking Close To Home

House Blacktip Reef sharks are homebodies, often sticking close to their coral reef habitats, which are located in warm, shallow waters. But do not think them gentle and weak; the blacktip reef shark travels and hunts in packs, with many sharks circling and surrounding their prey before they strike. Although they may not have ambition for the Jagged Tooth Throne, family pride and the protection of their native reefs is very strong with this House.

House Broadnose Sevengill: What Do We Say To The God of Death?

Let’s speak of House Broadnose Sevengill in hushed tones. One never knows where the servants of the many-faced god are lurking. The broadnose sevengills are the rogue sharks of Oceania. They are deceptive, skilled hunters with many methods of attack. Their modus operandi is to hunt in murky waters so they can execute sneak attacks, but they are a highly intelligent House capable of analyzing a situation and choosing a tactic accordingly. These sharks are also known to hunt in packs like wolves, forming a ring around their victim to prevent any escape. Winter may never come under the sea, but you can bet a war with House Broadnose Sevengill always will.

Shark Pup Tax

In the great Game of Sharks, we’d like to think of House Discovery Channel as the maesters who provide wisdom and counsel for all. Earn your link in shark knowledge by visiting Discovery’s Sharkopedia and don’t forget to catch Shark Week tonight 9/8c on Discovery. It’s all Shark N’ Awe!