All Photos By Gail

Do you like Sharks? I sure do. That’s why I  could. not. stop. taking photos of this life-size (read: humungous) model a prehistoric Megalodon Shark, which is a main attraction of the recently opened Sharks special exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in NYC. Here are some cool Megalodon facts I learned while exploring the exhibit.

This extinct shark was the biggest predatory fish of all time! Wow! Commonly known as the Megalodon (Otodus Megalodon), it measured roughly 50 feet in length — several times larger than the Great White Shark, which is the largest predatory fish living today. The Megalodon, however, has been extinct for 3.6 million years.

Whale Shark in Background, Right

The Megalodon was so big that it ate large whales, as evidenced by  its tooth marks having been found on ancient whale fossils. The Megalodon lived in a habitat of warm coastal waters, but was sometimes known to live in the open ocean. In addition to whales, their diet consisted of seals, sea cows, sea turtles, and large fishes, including sharks. Hardcore!

Check out this set of jaws, which could open  to a span of 11 feet (3.4 meters). Scientists have used fossilized Megalodon teeth to estimate the animal’s size ( 50 to 65 feet, or 15 to 20 meters long).

The Megalodon had the strongest bite of any known animal, including the T Rex. It probably had a bite ten times stronger than a Great White Shark, which by some estimates has the most powerful bite of any living animal.

Sharks Will Be On Exhibit at AMNH, Located 200 Central Park West, NYC Well Into 2022.