Great White Shark
Image Source: Reddit
You probably expected these guys to be the most dangerous sharks out there and you'd be correct! They are probably the most commonly recognised shark thanks to their appearances in movies like Jaws and have been known to attack, unprovoked, more than 350 people swimming and surfing as well as fishermen and others minding their own business on their boats.
Blue Shark
Image Source: Reddit
The Blue Shark is one of the more deadly sharks out there, but they are more known for eating smaller fishes and octopuses then they are human flesh. That doesn't mean they are opposed to doing so however. Although rare with only 13 attacks ever recorded, they might be enticed to take a bite out of a human if they're within their feeding grounds. Don't blame them!
Bronze Whaler
Image Source: NZ Herald
Bronze Whalers are more likely to be spotted in and around the shore in the shallow waters than the Blue Shark as they tend to eat fish that swim around these areas. That does mean they're more commonly spotted in these areas around humans but also aren't known to attack humans thanks to there only being one fatality recorded following an attack by them.
Oceanic Whitetip
Image Source: Reddit
Although there have only been 12 recorded, unprovoked attacks on humans by the whitetip, many people believe that they are actually considerably more dangerous than it first looks. They are also known to hunt anything that finds themselves in their feeding ground and for that reason it's believed they have killed and eaten way more than first thought.
Wobbegong Shark
Image Source: Reddit
Wobbegong's actually look like pretty harmless with their camouflaged thin body; although they use this to lure prey in around the ocean floor. You'll never find these sharks around the surface of the ocean, so unless you're diving you won't have to worry. However, they have been known to aggressively investigate any divers that come in contact with them.
Blacktip Shark
Image Source: Reddit
The Blacktips are similar to the Bronze Whalers in that they tend to stick to the more shallow areas of the ocean, and for that reason there are a number of recorded interactions between them and us. In fact, if you have ever been surfing in the waters around Florida then you were probably in close contact with a Blacktip as that is one of their most popular habitats.
Requiem Sharks
Image Source: SharkSider.com
Requiem Sharks have been known to attack humans on a number of occasions, particularly fishermen who are trying to pull in their nets! The problem with these guys is that they can grow to huge lengths and are able to snap their jaws more aggressively than most other species. All in all there have been over 68 attacks on humans on record and probably more to come if we keep getting in their way!
Bull Shark
Image Source: Reddit
The Bull Shark is by far one of the most dangerous species out there with more than 100 attacks on record and more than 20 deaths too! One of the main issues with the Bull Sharks is that they are able to come in to contact with humans more than most other species and they really don't like other large creatures being in their home. Maybe we might want to steer clear from now!
Tiger Shark
Image Source: Reddit
The issue with Tiger Sharks is that they are so large that they can pretty much eat anything and everything and that's exactly what they do. They have massive, extremely sharp gnashers which are able to tear through their prey in seconds; so if you get caught it's not going to be pleasant. They have killed 36 humans on record as it stands and attacked nearly 150.
Sand Tiger Shark
Image Source: Reddit
Although they pretty much share a name with the tiger shark, these guys are much more placid and actually haven't been known to kill any humans ever! Again, this doesn't mean they won't attack if provoked as they have been recorded attacking as well! However, these are the most common species of shark that you'll find within an aquarium so they can't be too dangerous right?
Shortfin Mako
Image Source: Reddit
You might know these guys more by the name the Blue Pointer and what makes these guys dangerous is that you have very little chance of escaping them! They are one of the fastest species of shark you can come across reaching speeds of nearly 70km/h. Fortunately, they don't tend to attack humans although they would be able to if provoked, look at those teeth!
Hammerhead Shark
Image Source: Reddit
The Hammerhead is perhaps the most uniquely shaped species of shark and also the most easily recognised too! Fortunately for us humans, they haven't been known to attack humans with less than 10 attacks on record. This might be good for us as they are extremely intelligent and the shape of their head means they have a much greater sense of vision across the ocean.
Great Hammerheads
Image Source: Reddit
So these guys are quite obviously part of the same family as the previous, but as the name suggests, they are much greater in size. Although they have only attacked 16 people on record, you wouldn't want to find yourself being caught and then pinned to the ocean floor using their long heads would you? Besides this they are also known to be cannibalistic, eating one another if need be!
The Nurse Shark
Image Source: Reddit
Although most people believe Nurse Sharks to be very placid as a result of them being fairly easily captured for research and in some cases to be put in to aquariums, they are still very dangerous! In fact, they rank fourth in the list of most bite attacks on humans across all shark species! This is likely because divers tend to get too close to them in their home environment.
Spinner Shark
Image Source: Reddit
These sharks actually look very similar to their blacktips although they tend to be longer and they also hunt in a considerably different manner. What makes them dangerous is that when they go hunting they, as their name suggests, spin around their prey and have even been known to spin whilst jumping out of the surface of the ocean to catch their prey.
Basking Shark
Image Source: Reddit
The Basking Shark is the second largest species of shark (the first we'll get on to next...) and are pretty slow movers when it comes to the type of animal that they are! They might look huge and terrifying but are completely harmless to us humans, but can be extremely dangerous towards smaller fish toward the bottom of the ocean. Imagine seeing that mouth storming towards you!
Whale Shark
Image Source: Reddit
From the second-largest shark species out there to the first! The Whale Shark has been known to clock in at around 62ft in length and like their long cousins choose to avoid harming humans when in contact with them. Smaller fish will find these guys to be their biggest predators and they often scan the surface for any unwitting mothers and their eggs.
Lemon Shark
Image Source: Reddit
In comparison to Whale Sharks, these Lemon Sharks are absolutely tiny, reaching less than 11ft on average! These guys are dangerous due to the fact that they often work together as a group instead of hunting alone, meaning that the fish they go out hunting have very little chance of getting away. They have attacked humans on rare occasions but only when provoked.
Caribbean Reef Shark
Image Source: Reddit
The Caribbean reef shark is a member of the aforementioned requiem species of sharks; they are known to have some of the weirdest behavioural patterns of all sharks known on record. They have spent a long time in and around human contact and in some rare situations have been known to attack humans with around 30 attributed to them since records began.
Thresher Shark
Image Source: Reddit
Unlike many of the sharks on this list, the Thresher Sharks are very much solo predators and don't tend to stick within their packs. Although they are actively hunting, they haven't been known to attack humans; they tend to prey on animals like smaller fish (tuna and mackerel), squid and maybe even some seabirds on the surface of the water. Just look at how they can rise out of the ocean like that!
Silky Shark
Image Source: Ministry Of Environment
The silky shark might sound like a slick little character but they are quite persistent hunters who won't stop chasing their prey when they spot them. Like many sharks they tend to choose tuna as their preferred choice of meal, and nothing will stop them tearing through schools of baby tuna in the wild. They can be aggressive towards humans if provoked too!
Frilled Shark
Image Source: Reddit
Frilled Sharks are a lot more terrifying visually than they really are as a creature. You can probably tell by the image that its teeth are what makes them quite so dangerous with around 300 curved gnashers within their mouths. They are able to swim around the waters like an eel whilst hunting although they haven't been known to attack humans. I still wouldn't want to run into one though!
Bluntnose Sixgill Shark
Image Source: Reddit
The Bluntnose Sixgill is known to be another of the odd looking sharks out there, and as the name suggests, its recognisable due to its blunt nose and fluorescent eyes. They have been spotted at a whole range of depths and have an extremely powerful tail meaning that they are very adept at chasing their prey which even includes other species of shark that are smaller than they are themselves!
Zebra Shark
Image Source: Reddit
The Zebra Shark are another very distinctive species of shark thanks to their stripes and are actually quite a nocturnal animal hunting along the ocean's surface. Although they don't pose any risk to humans that doesn't mean that they aren't dangerous in their own environment, sometimes managing to squeeze into small holes to catch sea snakes and other animals along the ocean surface.
Leopard Shark
Image Source: Reddit
The Leopard Shark is also instantly recognisable as a result of the spots that cover the entirety of the sharks body. They can be very dangerous towards other sea creatures as they often hunt in groups and are able to cover wide areas throughout one hunt. Despite this, it is believed that they are harmless to humans when in close contact, I probably wouldn't risk it!
Angel Shark
Image Source: Reddit
Angel Sharks are one of the weirdest looking shark species out there, looking more like a stingray than a traditional shark. They are also some of the smallest sharks you can get your eyes on beneath the surface! Despite their small size however, they are able to snap up smaller fish around them as a result of their sharp and extendable jaws! They look kinda cute though!
Bamboo Shark
Image Source: Reddit
Bamboo sharks are the smallest of the shark species to feature on this list, reaching no more than 50in! They aren't particularly deadly and some people even keep these little guys in their own home aquariums. You have to keep them separate from other fish however as they like to enjoy feeding on the few fish that are much smaller than them. Would you keep one of these guys?
Goblin Shark
Image Source: Reddit
Goblin Sharks are extremely rare and are one of the oldest known sharks still to be seen living within the depths of the ocean. It's rare that humans will ever come close in contact with these guys as they tend to remain at extreme depths. They have quite a frightening face and are able to use their jaw to capture and crush their prey. Imagine that swimming towards you in the dark!
Greenland Shark
Image Source: Reddit
The Greenland Shark is unique in being the vertebrate with the longest known lifespan out there. You might have heard of these guys as they are often eaten in Iceland as a delicacy. In this scenario they are more deadly than they are alive, they don't attack humans but if eaten without being treated can be deadly due to their high toxin levels. They look pretty friendly though don't they!
Megalodon
Image Source: Reddit
You don't have to worry about these huge guys anymore with experts believing that they have been extinct for more than 3 million years now. Little is known about them as all information comes from fossilised remains. It's believed they would have been able to hunt a number of sea creatures including whales and seals amongst others. Thank God they aren't around these days!