There are a few species of ‘walking’ fish, but did you know there was a walking shark? Read on… <\/p>
Did you know Australian waters are home to a walking shark? The epaulette shark walks on its paddle-shaped fins both in and out of the water. <\/strong><\/p> The epaulette shark can also swim to make a fast getaway, but as often as not it gets about by clambering over the seabed. <\/p> It is also an unusual coral-reef shark, because it can survive in warm, oxygen-poor pools at low tide. It conserves oxygen by shutting down its motor nerve system but leaving its sensory nerves alert to detect predators.<\/p> It dilates its blood<\/a> vessels, which lowers its blood pressure by as much as half, and pumps more blood to the brain and the heart itself. With these adaptations it can survive in very-low-oxygen conditions until the tide rises and oxygen-rich water floods its pool once more.<\/p> Discover other walking fish<\/a> and weird fish<\/a> – and speaking of walking do you know there’s a walking tree<\/a> – sort of<\/p>