Walking sharks

[kengr]

Yes, you read that correctly. Australia (of course it's Australia) has something like 9 species of shark that can walk on their lower fins and survive low oxygen water conditions. Apparently they evolved this to hunt hunt in the tide pools of reefs.

They are small sharks, only about 3 feet long, so they aren't a danger to humans. Give them another few million years and that might change.

Now if you are creating a fantasy world for a book or a game, things could be much more "interesting". Say Great White Sharks that can sneak up on people camping on the beach.

And that could lead to "land sharks" and the like.

Comments

[conuly]

They say they're not a danger to humans, but maybe they're just lulling us into a false sense of security.

[kengr]

Well, at their current size, they might be a danger to your *toes*, but if you are walking in tide pools barefoot, your feet are in a lot more danger from other things.

[siliconshaman]

I thought the Pacific North-west had land sharks already, to go along with the tree octopuses.

[kengr]

No, that's just a derogatory term for folks who sell land to Californians. :-)

Tree octopi? Never heard of such a thing. (rolls down sleeves to cover up sucker marks)

[stickmaker]

Ah, Australia. The only continent that's an island. The only island that's a continent. The only nation completely occupying a continent. The oldest continent. How can't you kill us more thoroughly and painfully and interestingly than any other part of the Earth? The most venomous mammal, the most venomous jellyfish, the most venomous octopus, etc. Not to mention the only saltwater crocodile, which also happens to be the *largest* crocodile.

Within historic time - and perhaps today - they had a land reptile which could devour a Komodo Dragon in one bite.

[fayanora]

Technically all continents are islands. Except Europe, it's not its own continent.

[fayanora]

Human sized land sharks that learn martial arts. Ninja sharks!