Sharks Were Around Before Dinosaurs

Long before dinosaurs, sharks were swimming in our oceans. In fact, sharks have been on this planet for over 400 million years, while dinosaurs lived during the Mesozoic era –– between about 245 and 66 million years ago.

Unlike dinosaurs, a shark’s skeleton is made entirely of cartilage instead of bone, so they don’t leave fossilized skeletons like other animals. However, many fossilized shark teeth have been found throughout the years.