What do blue sharks eat?

Blue sharks prey on a wide variety of marine life. Their jaws contain rows of sharp, serrated teeth that can tear through flesh and bone. Blue sharks are powerful predators and can take down prey much larger than themselves.

Some of the most common prey items of blue sharks include:

* Bony fish, such as mackerel, tuna, jacks, and swordfish

* Pelagic fish, such as sardines, anchovies, and herring

* Squid

* Crabs

* Sea turtles

* Seals

* Dolphins

* Whales

Blue sharks are also known to scavenge on dead fish and other animals. They will often follow fishing boats and feed on any discarded fish. Blue sharks are also attracted to whale carcasses and will often feed on them in large numbers.

The diet of blue sharks can vary depending on the time of year, the location, and the availability of prey. Blue sharks are opportunist predators and will eat whatever prey is most abundant.

Here is a more detailed list of some of the prey items that blue sharks have been known to consume:

* Bony fish:

* Mackerel

* Tuna

* Jacks

* Swordfish

* Marlins

* Sailfish

* Wahoo

* Dorado

* Mahi-mahi

* Pelagic fish:

* Sardines

* Anchovies

* Herring

* Sprats

* Menhaden

* Atlantic herring

* Pacific herring

* Blueback herring

* Alewife

* Shad

* Butterfish

* Smelt

* Capelin

* Squid:

* Giant squid

* Colossal squid

* Humboldt squid

* Todarodes Pacificus

* Illex illecebrosus

* Loligo vulgaris

* Sepioteuthis sepioidea

* Crabs:

* Blue crabs

* Dungeness crabs

* Red crabs

* Rock crabs

* Jonah crabs

* Spider crabs

* King crabs

* Snow crabs

* Sea turtles:

* Leatherback sea turtles

* Green sea turtles

* Loggerhead sea turtles

* Hawksbill sea turtles

* Kemp's ridley sea turtles

* Seals:

* Northern fur seals

* Southern fur seals

* California sea lions

* Steller sea lions

* Harbor seals

* Gray seals

* Leopard seals

* Weddell seals

* Crabeater seals

* Dolphins:

* Bottlenose dolphins

* Atlantic spotted dolphins

* Pacific spotted dolphins

* Spinner dolphins

* Clymene dolphins

* Risso's dolphins

* White-sided dolphins

* Common dolphins

* Striped dolphins

* Whales:

* Minke whales

* Fin whales

* Sei whales

* Humpback whales

* Blue whales

* Sperm whales

* Killer whales

* Belugas

* Narwhals

In addition to these prey items, blue sharks have also been known to eat the following objects:

* Plastic bags

* Fishing lures

* Fishing line

* Bait

* Garbage