NOVA Online (see bottom of page for navigation)
Shark Attack!
Vision

closeup of shark's eyesA shark has excellent vision. In fact, its eyes are about ten times more sensitive to light than your eyes. Some experiments show that sharks can see colors, and that they may prefer bright or shiny objects. (Keep this in mind the next time you shop for a swimsuit!)

Most sharks see their prey when it's about 70 to 100 feet away. To protect their eyes from a thrashing victim, some sharks (such as tiger sharks) cover their eyes with a lid, while others (such as white sharks) simply roll their eyes back into the sockets.

back to shark diagram



Shark Tidbits | The Hunt | Resources | Teacher's Guide
Transcript | Site Map | Shark Attack! Home

Editor's Picks | Previous Sites | Join Us/E-mail | TV/Web Schedule | About NOVA
Watch NOVAs online | Teachers | Site Map | Shop | Search | To Print
PBS Online | NOVA Online | WGBH

© | Updated May 2002
E-Mail Shop Site Map Search NOVA Online Site Map Shark Attack!