Amazing ability: why a shark spits out its stomach and does not die (3 photos + 1 video)

When sharks are stressed (for example, stuck in a fishing net), they try to rid themselves of excess food, but sometimes they “spit out” more than just food. The shark's stomach can also fall out, even if the fish is still alive.





There are many amazing phenomena in nature. They can be found especially in abundance in the marine world, because oceans cover most of the surface of our planet. There are so many amazing things we still don’t know, even about animals that we seem to have known for hundreds of years. For example, how much do you know about how the stomach of a regular shark works?

How is a shark's stomach different from ours?

Sharks are sometimes called the trash cans of the ocean. This name is most often applied to tiger sharks, which are known to eat a variety of trash items, including cans, bottles, tires, coal, rags, nails and so on. Their stomachs were also often found filled with land animals such as chickens, pigs, and hyenas. We also know that these are not new eating habits for them. But what happens to all the junk they eat?

One option is to digest it normally if the object is small enough or can be destroyed during digestion. But there is another way - turn your stomach inside out and spit out the food.

When do sharks turn their stomachs?

Marine biologist Austin Gallagher pulled a 2.5-meter-long tiger shark from the water during one of his studies in the Florida Keys archipelago. At the same time, right before the biologist’s eyes, the animal spat out a huge plume of bird feathers. The biologist had already heard about sharks “vomiting,” but had never seen it: this phenomenon is rarely observed in the natural environment.

When sharks are stressed, they try to get rid of excess food, and they “spit out” not only food. And sometimes your own stomach.

Some sharks, such as tiger sharks, are quite voracious. They consume everything in their path that seems edible to them. Including things that their stomach cannot digest - bird feathers, turtle shells or bones. If a shark finds itself in an unusual situation that causes it stress (for example, it is stuck in a fishing net), then the animal strives to immediately get rid of the indigestible “food”.



Like a shark turning its stomach inside out and spitting it out. It doesn't look very nice

Why do sharks spit out their stomachs?

It may be easier for them to escape the trap on an empty stomach, said Neil Hammerschlag, a biologist at the University of Miami who specializes in studying sharks. But why then do sharks spit out their own stomach? (By the way, this phenomenon has a scientific name - gastric eversion.) In fact, for a predator, this is a great way to empty its stomach.



“Sharks simply “wash” the internal organ,” says researcher Gregory Skomal. “A 2005 research paper describes similar behavior of predatory fish in Caribbean reefs. Biologists prove that in this way the shark removes indigestible food particles, parasites and mucus.”

It only takes a couple of seconds for the shark to “flush” its stomach – then it calmly “pulls in” the internal organ back. Researchers even managed to capture this phenomenon on video.

However, not all sharks are so “lucky”. Austin Gallagher notes that during his research, some specimens were unable to "retract" the organ after flushing (possibly again due to stress). The biologist helped several sharks “return” their stomachs using long objects, such as pliers; the biologist did not dare help the sharks with his bare hands.