Learn about the swell shark, an animal which has an awesome defense mechanism: it can inflate itself to twice its size!

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SHOW RESOURCES

• Free the Ocean - Painted swell shark: https://shop.freetheocean.com/blogs/news/painted-swellshark/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=cta&utm_campaign=trivia&utm_content=cfm&utm_term=painted-swellshark
• Photos of 2016 pink swell shark: https://www.earthtouchnews.com/oceans/sharks/the-latest-alien-sea-monster-is-just-an-inflated-swell-shark/
• Science Alert: https://www.sciencealert.com/this-fat-weird-swellshark-just-appeared-in-mexico-and-no-one-knows-why-it-s-pink
• FL Museum: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/swell-shark/
• Sharks 4 Kids: https://www.sharks4kids.com/post/april-elasmobranch-of-the-month-swell-shark
• Aquarium of the Pacific: https://www.sharks4kids.com/post/april-elasmobranch-of-the-month-swell-shark
• IUCN Red List: http://iucnredlist.org/species/60227/124453628
• MOTE Marine Laboratory: https://mote.org/animal-encyclopedia/swell-shark/#:~:text=Swell%20sharks%20can%20be%20found%20in%20the,Swell%20to%20almost%20twice%20their%20original%20size
• California DFW: https://cdfwmarine.wordpress.com/2025/08/22/creature-feature-swell-shark/
• North American Journal of Fisheries Management: https://sedarweb.org/documents/s21rd19-the-physiological-response-of-port-jackson-sharks-and-australian-swellsharks-to-sedation-gill-net-capture-and-repeated-sampling-in-captivity/#:~:text=Exposing%20Port%20Jackson%20sharks%20Heterodontus,2006;%20Skomal%202007).
• Plasma level research article #1: https://cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/3493/420421177
• Plasma level research article #2: https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/29179/noaa_29179_DS1.pdf
• Morro Bay National Estuary Program: https://www.mbnep.org/2017/07/28/morro-bay-wildlife-spotlight-swell-shark/#:~:text=This%20is%20a%20myth.,both%20days%20at%2011%20a.m

Helper Sharks!

Bake and Shake Worldwide

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SOUND CREDITS

• Sound effects courtesy of the Soundboard Maker app for Android.
• Background ocean waves courtesy of YouTube: https://youtu.be/1Ef9CAZ3OrQ?si=Of9zuwrVG2PIPAJG
• Outro music called "Coral Chorus" from the game Fortnite (via the Soundboard Maker app).