Fun Facts About Megalodon Sharks We Bet You Didn’t Know!

If you’re a fan of ancient mysteries and enigmatic creatures, you’re gonna love this post!

Among the most wondrous creatures to have ever lived on the Earth were Megalodon Sharks. You may not have heard of them since they existed before our time (a few million years ago), but whenever underwater experts are asked about the biggest animals they know, Megalodon Sharks feature at the top of their lists.

Spotty11222 at Wikipedia | Megalodon Sharks were the largest sharks to have ever existed in the seas of the Earth

The Pliocene and Miocene era witnessed the largest sharks to have ever existed in the seas of the Earth. These magnificent creatures grew to be 18 meters long; according to that, one-third of the Megalodon is what the great white shark of today measures. Hope that’s enough to give you an idea of how enormous these sharks were! The dominance of this species was so prominent, that it’s said that their teeth were found in almost every continent except Antarctica. 

This magnificent creature was known for many more things apart from its massive size. Join us as we let you in on some rather interesting facts about Megalodons that are bound to blow your mind. 

#1 – Their remains were misidentified as dragon tongues

Earlier, before man was able to make a clear connection between Megalodon teeth Megalodon and modern shark teeth, whenever someone would find fossilized Megalodon teeth, they would believe such rocks were dragons tongues. Then around the 17th century, it was widely believed that they were medicinal rocks kept by ancient people as lucky charms. With time and more studies, however, researchers discovered there was more to the story.

According to the NHM (National History Museum), sharks lose all of their teeth once in two weeks, which amounts to about 40,000 teeth lost in their lifetime! This is why the most commonly found Megalodon fossil was their teeth. 

#2 – They were even heavier than elephants

Yes, you heard us right! The Megalodon weighed eight times more than an elephant. Each shark weighed around 143,000 pounds, and the female species was said to be even longer, heavier, and possibly two sizes bigger than the males.  

© NHM | The Megalodon weighed eight times more than an elephant, and delivered the most powerful bite known to be given by animals

#3 – This shark gave the strongest of bites

The bite of the Megalodon shark was said to be the most powerful bite known to be given by animals; almost six times stronger than those of the Tyrannosaurus rex. The bite is estimated to have a force between 108,514 to 182,201 Newtons. This made it possible for the species to eat a fish as large as a whale. 

#4 – Not the only supersized ones

Regardless of how unbelievable it may sound, it’s said the Megalodon sharks weren’t the only supersized animals in the sea in ancient times. There was a larger species of whale called Leviathan Melville that also existed around the same time as the sharks, however, it’s not known whether or not the Megalodon ever competed with the Melville. According to a report by NPR, it’s only logical to assume that the two sea creatures would have competed because whales were a part of the Megalodon shark’s diet. 

#5 – Cold waters could be a possible reason for their extinction

According to the NHM, 3.6 million years ago, the Earth experienced a period of global cooling and drying, which could be a possible cause for Megalodons going extinct. This species resided in the tropical water. So as the sea temperature began to drop and waters began to freeze, their habitat grew smaller and more restricted. At around the same time, the prey of these sharks, such as whales, sea turtles and seals either died or relocated to less colder water which was still too cold for these predator sharks.

Live Science/Getty Images | According to the NHM, 3.6 million years ago, the Earth experienced a period of global cooling and drying, which could be a possible cause for Megalodons going extinct

Didn’t that give you goosebumps?

To know that such an enormous and magnificent creature existed on our planet is such a discovery in itself. The Megalodons sharks are just one out of the many interesting animals to have ever existed before our time. In fact, there’s so much more to be discovered about our planet which can totally boggle even the most learned of people. 

What’s the most mystifying fact about the Earth and its species that you’ve ever discovered? Let us know!