Sharks of the Bahamas, Bahama Breeze Island Grille Gift Card Giveaway
by EJ on 08/15/12
In honor of today's Bahama Breeze Island Grille gift card
giveaway, I'd like to introduce you to some of the sharks of the Bahamas and the
Caribbean Sea (KM helped with the research).
Sharks of the
Bahamas
The
Oceanic Whitetip
Shark is an endangered species. Jacques Cousteau described the oceanic
whitetip as "the most dangerous of all sharks". They're responsible for more
human deaths throughout history than any other shark. That's because they're the
sharks that show up in the event of a shipwreck and other disasters at
sea. Named for their white tipped paddle-like rounded fins, they are pretty
aggressive but as we're often told, shark attacks in general remain rare. Ocean
whitetips are often accompanied by pilot fish and prefer to cruise the open
ocean. Whitetips can grow up to 13 feet in length. Humans are much more
dangerous to whitetips than these sharks will ever be to humans. In fact, these
particular sharks are hunted enormously for their fins, used to make shark fin
soup. Since 1969, this shark's population has dropped by 70 percent.
The Silky Shark
prefers deep water, but closer to land and can be found abundantly in tropical
waters. They have slender, smooth bodies that are metallic to dark gray
with white bellies and grow up to 8 feet in length. This shark's population is
also on the decline as their slow reproductive cycles prove impossible to keep
up with the human exploitation of this species.
Lemon Sharks are
named for their lighter yellow or brown color. Scientists know more about this
shark than most other shark species. Distinguished by their pointy snouts and
double dorsal fins, they can reach up to 8 to 10 feet in length. They tend to
keep to shallow waters near islands or the coast, no deeper than 250 feet
deep. They will churn up the bottom of the ocean bed to search for their food.
This shark is very social and will travel with groups are are typically not
aggressive.
The
Blacktip Reef
Sharks, while found all over the world, are seen often in the Bahamas. Black
coloration can be found on various fins and their bluish gray bodies can
reach around 6 and a half feet in length. Blacktips are common in shallow
lagoons and coral reefs. They will travel in groups, cruising the coastline.
Nurse Sharks are
distinguished by their extra larger second dorsal fin, long paddle-like caudal
fin and their itty bitty eyes. They are tannish brown colored and can grow from
9 to 10 feet in length and are found in shallow waters. During the day, they
hover over the bottom and are normally active during the night. Nurse sharks are
very docile and slow-moving.
Bull Sharks, on the
other hand, are known today to be one of the most aggressive sharks that exist.
They're bulky and large with a short, blunt snout. These guys are all bulk and
plenty of bite and are often found near tropical shorelines. Unlike other
sharks, they can make their way into brackish waters and even fresh water,
sometimes venturing several miles inland. They're gray on top with white
underbellies. Bull sharks are not on the endangered species list but their
numbers are on the decline due to human exploitation.
The
Tiger Shark is
named for the stripes on its sides. They can grow up to 12 feet long and as they
get older, their stripes tend to fade. They have huge heads, squared snouts and
dark black eyes. They like deep and shallow waters. They eat pretty much
anything and have been known to consume human garbage, license plates and tires.
The
Great
Hammerhead, which can reach lengths of 20 feet, possesses an olive
green to gray body with white belly. This shark is the largest in the hammerhead
family. Its tall dorsal fin, one of the tallest of all sharks, sits high out of
the water when the body nears the surface. The most obvious distinction is the
hammer shaped head and face, with eyes on either side of the hammer. This
creates an incredible field of vision, allowing the shark to see in two
directions at once. They move this head back and forth across the ocean floor,
searching for food.
Win a $25 Gift Card to Bahama Breeze
Island GrilleBahama Breeze Island Grille has partnered with
Four Little Monsters Blog to offer $25 gift cards to two lucky readers. Now that
KM has set the mood with her sharks of the Bahamas facts, check out the entry
widget below for your chance to dine and drink like an islander. No, you
probably won't run into any sharks at Bahama Breeze Island Grille.
Check here for locations and the food
and drink menu.
From the Bahama Breeze website: With its unique
combination of Caribbean-inspired food, handcrafted tropical drinks, vibrant
atmosphere and people happy to be of service, Bahama Breeze is the restaurant
that brings you the feeling of a Caribbean Escape.
The first Bahama Breeze
opened its doors in 1996 in Orlando, FL, and now operates 24 restaurants
nationally. Bahama Breeze is owned by Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI), the
nation’s largest casual dining restaurant company.
Read the Four Little
Monsters
food
and
drink reviews for
Bahama Breeze Island Grille.
