Richard Dreyfuss' character in "Jaws" claimed that the shark is "a miracle of evolution," and that the only thing it does is "swim and eat and make little sharks, that's all." That's not exactly correct.
Sharks have to eat, like every other living organism, but they don't mate until they are 12 to 15 years old. The females give birth to one or two pups at a time, making it difficult for the sharks' reproduction rates to keep pace with the annual kill rates.
FILE - In this Tuesday, July 3, 2012 photo, Rima Jabado, a marine scientist and shark researcher pulls up a baby spottail shark from the water for the tagging off the Dubai coast, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)
