Megalodon Nurseries - The Softer Side of the Monster Shark

Megalodon is often portrayed as a brutal, unthinking killing machine - but there's much more to this shark than just its hunting behaviour.
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[@mikeor-]

The Monster Shark Lives... in my heart.

[@Trash_boatt]

Mine lives in my ass 1 month old

[@mikeor-]

@@yeah9690 I'm talking metaphorically.

[@mikeor-]

@@yeah9690 I get it.

[@Dild0swaggins63]

@@mikeor- damn, ruined the joke 😔

[@newtscamander7713]

@Gaming lion Dinosaurs live... as birds, the avian dinosaurs.

[@somedude2468]

Megalodons: I will raise my children in a safe place and protect them with my life Sand tiger sharks: *you will have to kill all your brothers and sisters until one of you is left on each one of my womb.*

[@i4lmpatience945]

That's actually a common thing in many birthing sharks

[@creditsunknown7974]

Interestingly, the lemon shark, one of the more friendly and adorable types of sharks, which for year long bonds. Happen to suffer this. Its basically "When you are born that much of a jerk the least you could do is have some decency."

[@supersharkboiii]

Megalodons likely also ate their siblings before being born, which would contribute to their growth

[@monke3148]

That’s all sharks that give live birth dumb ass the ones that survive are fit for survival and so they can live better then the others

[@galapagos6186]

People forgot that these giant sharks were just normal animals instead of cartoon and movie giant monsters.

[@MrFossil367ab45gfyth]

I agree. That is one misconception about sharks. People think that they're these ferocious monsters of the deep, when in reality they aren't. They won't bother you, if you don't bother them. But sharks do attack if they misidentify things such as a surf board for a sea turtle. But they don't know, they're animals.

[@fawnieee]

@@MrFossil367ab45gfyth couldn't agree more with you. Hollywood and Spielberg have done an excellent job of demonizing sharks, which is a shame because they're so essential to our oceans health and overall, they are an animal that should be appreciated.

[@mmcsarte]

They also forget that Sharks that live today are also animals and not cartoon/movie monsters

[@luckyblockyoshi]

@Mr. Fossil from the previous episode of shark week about misconceptions Ben tells us that they don’t misidentify surfboards as animals, they’re just curious and want to know what it is, after 1 bite of the board they’ll swim away

[@JacobBite]

well you beat me to it by about 6 hours

[@mtmstudiosmolly]

“They aren’t monsters lex, they’re just animals”

[@Mario-ne8vx]

The megalodon was a terminator nothing but a monster. That is the definition of, animal

[@fawnieee]

@@Mario-ne8vx it's an animal. An animal that wanted to live, mate and survive. You can try placing morality on these animals calling them "monsters", but the truth is they only hunted to feed and live. They're not malicious monsters who are out to murder everyone and everything people like you seem to believe. They do what they must to survive, they are an animal. More importantly, they're a predator. Predators are very careful with what they do because it could mean their deaths even of one fin or leg is damaged. They're not mindless, bloodlusting monsters that have to kill everything. They may be perceived like that because of Hollywood, but it's not what they are.

[@grimmjowww9452]

@@Mario-ne8vx Humans are the more monstrous beings in this world. We place ourselves higher than animals and so it results to most people thinking animals are mean to be our food. If humans were to be killed at the same rate that animals do then wed be extinct in less than 5 years

[@fabiovezzari2895]

Monsters are usually considered as gigantic or rare animals, but also as something that goes against nature...So shall a humpback be called a monster? Or is it us to be called as such?

[@newtscamander7713]

Wow, just watched Jurassic Park last night!

[@almazzagitov9799]

Megalodon: Is a giant killer shark but also takes care of its offspring Awesomebros: “Wait, that’s illegal”

[@UmbraXCVII]

Usually people who don't interact with animals enough to know better.

[@xX_wiLLiam_Xx]

@@UmbraXCVII its usually just idiots who think all predators are ruthless killing machines

[@UmbraXCVII]

@@xX_wiLLiam_Xx exactly, that's what I meant.

[@pepsiman396]

I hate that people think that Megalodon, Titanoboa, and Smilodon, etc... are mindless killing machines but they're just like any other animal just trying to survive

[@abyssal_phoenix]

Same with animals like the t-Rex, humans apparently can’t make a connection with modern day animals and extinct ones.

[@Indubitible_E]

well not just extinct creatures people would kill a snake on sight because they think it will go bite them

[@pepsiman396]

@@Indubitible_E exactly, people say they love all animals but they would kill a spider or snake instantly

[@abyssal_phoenix]

I always capture spiders and release them outside

[@pepsiman396]

@@abyssal_phoenix Good man👌

[@dynamosaurusimperious6341]

Every predatory animal has a soft side,and I'm glad that this video exist,to show that even the 'Biggest Shark' can be a caring mother/parent,and it's awesome,and cute(in a way.)

[@Xaiff]

Their underbelly should be soft too. A'ight. I'll see myself out.

[@dynamosaurusimperious6341]

@@Xaiff ,okay then,also can I get pin and a like.

[@Whitney341]

"Every predator".. Please give me an example of the soft side of a mosquito. 😂

[@LoanShark_totallyreal]

@@Whitney341 they suck blood to develop eggs

[@retardcorpsman]

Whitney Sophia Male mosquitos aid in pollenating flowers and drink only nectar instead of blood.

[@thedoruk6324]

This was a heathwarming episode from a monstrous butcher species! Could any shark species ever developed an advanced degree of parental care? Similiar to Crocodylimorphs?

[@Spacekid_Productions]

Hi

[@LeoTheYuty]

Perhaps

[@Spacekid_Productions]

Leo the Yutyrannus Hi

[@thedoruk6324]

@@Spacekid_Productions Hello!

[@thedoruk6324]

@gamer time I have heard Great White Shark mothers sometimes stay close to their pups especially around hawaii or pacific ocean but its only a rumour

[@amiyafunsie]

Honestly I blame Jaws for making how people see shark nowaday.

[@zackp8201]

Looks like I've been spending too much time on youtube, because on first glance i thought you were blaming the jews for how people see sharks nowadays.

[@amiyafunsie]

​@@zackp8201 bruh.

[@Sledge447]

@Chandler Burse me to those people are so dumb

[@wray272]

Thats why the writer spent the rest of his life fighting for sharks and tried to reverse the damage. Problem is humans still have the witch burning bug and always need a new witch.

[@thatcreepyberdinthecorner1097]

No, A movie can have a movie monster for the sake of its plot. It’s all the absolutely stupid people who don’t know the difference between fact and fiction

[@paweandonisgawralidisdobrz2522]

0:20 "but as with all animals there is quite more to this shark than its feeding behavior." Wish you could say the same thing about me

[@incognitoshades9014]

Sharks are my all-time favorite type of animals, and this video made it even better.

[@lolacrosby3478]

many people tend to forget that sharks are sensitive and intelligent creatures that have been observed to have their own unique personality, Megalodons are no different.

[@HalseyHFW]

It's too bad we don't know more about how they looked. It seems entirely possible they looked quite different from a Great White.

[@ReiTheRabbit]

I’m sure they did, I think they had more of a flat face compared to the Great White.

[@SpottedHares]

some have point out that they could have looked more like whale sharks, but with extremely big teath

[@vielvladimirvaldez6917]

i think they look like chunky great whites.

[@agreengaming3959]

Viel Vladimir Valdez thicc

[@zackrose2035]

@Mayhem 2.0 Really? because I'm pretty sure that we can only make a somewhat rough guess since us humans weren't around back then

[@Mydarkarts23]

Wow Megalodon was a cattle shark just like crocodiles and T-rex. Great video guys.

[@apieceofcowfish3145]

I wish people would look at sharks in a different light, I mean they’re an apex predator but unlike others people only fear them, when someone sees a shark they want to scream shark and run away, maybe even try to kill it, when someone sees a lion, they want to observe it, I feel that people do not give sharks a fair chance due to pop culture, I hope I can fix that one day.

[@driftmeister2244]

If you saw a lion out in the wild you'd be scared for sure

[@tr0_0rt]

Im pretty sure you can't run on water

[@Xaiff]

When people see killer whale, they want to pat it. Because of Free Willy.

[@nilihcrevo9820]

@@Xaiff killer whale rarely injures human, that's why

[@thoribio5846]

I'd rather swim with sharks than be close to a pack of lions, and I'm very scared of deep water.

[@WobblesandBean]

What a sweet way to end shark week. I would have never known these huge beasts were good parents. 💜

[@NaturesCompendium]

Glad I could contribute! Really great video, and I had no idea about the cetacean rib with potential juvenile bitemarks! Is it possible that the bitemark may have been due to a juvenile megalodon scavenging rather than actively hunting?

[@battlechampion47]

No, the paper describes it as a paleopathology, as the bone shows partial healing but not complete.

[@kringe700]

0:33 The Chonk Shark is back.

[@lotusfomalhaut9950]

The big chungus of the shark world

[@konnosx1213]

THICC SHORK

[@venumbra1177]

O lawd he comin

[@shortstan_242]

CHONKY BOI

[@dinoxels]

I still love your original video on Megalodon, regrading it’s actual appearance.

[@pauls5745]

I don't know why just because some extinct animals were very big compared to today's creatures they had to be labeled as killers and monsters? Of course animals have to eat. some of the most vicious animals are actually the smallest!

[@audreykirsten9511]

Paul S i agree

[@Ian64]

It’s so weird to hear someone mispronounce “Maryland”, even though it makes sense cause he’s british

[@LuinTathren]

Yeah, I caught that. I'll let it go, though. It's a common mispronunciation from Brits.

[@sohopedeco]

I was like "where the hell is Mary Land?" I was thinking it was that part of Antarctica or something.

[@keithfaulkner6319]

They're only british. They don't speak English very well.

[@Xaiff]

How do people say "Maryland" in American dialect anyway?

[@NecromancyForKids]

@@Xaiff mareuhlind

[@nathanquinn8273]

I know I'm incredibly late to seeing your videos but I randomly stumbled upon one of your videos and I must say man, great content! Explained very well thank-you!

[@samtuberyt7579]

Hey Ben after shark week can you carry on doing scientific inaccuracies on walking with dinosaurs love your channel.

[@gilbertdeclerk7215]

Fossiliferous.. That's gotta be the first time I'm hearing this word. This channel teaches me history biology geography and now English. Well played bro

[@callunas]

Wonderful. Would be real cool if there were movies that showed animals as neither monstrous killing machines nor as fluffy cuddle angels but just creatures with lives as complex as our own, sometimes violent and sometimes tender.

[@geministrial950]

There is this very good short film called "sharp teeth" i believe, its this exact plot but with dinosaurs

[@callunas]

@@geministrial950 Just watched it. That was beautiful!

[@moviequestions7966]

Woah new interesting facts again... Paleontology is truly remarkable!

[@SkorpTS]

And so ends yet another themed week. Any more planned for the foreseeable future? Since we're on the subject of predators and nursery, maybe one about crocodiles?

[@keithfaulkner6319]

That would work. There's all kinds of weird croc ancestors back there.

[@Kyle-gw6qp]

Crocodiles are some of the most fascinating animals imo

[@keithfaulkner6319]

Ya got that right. I tried to buy a baby dwarf caiman but you need a permit in illinois and they wouldn't send it.

[@ibi1453]

it makes me feel good

[@UmbraXCVII]

Nice

[@ibi1453]

Umbra. XCVII what

[@BrewMasterG]

His pronunciation of Maryland lol. "Marry Land" XD

[@Momonomore]

I was born there! :D

[@WhoTheHellIsHarvy]

Shark Week is over already.. for some. But for a few of us Shark Week is every week.

[@suecastillo4056]

Just AMAZING art work!!! Really beautiful! Love the paintings♥️thank you for sharing these great illustrations🙋😘♥️‼️

[@siechamontillado]

Everyone asks, "What is Megalodon?" but nobody asks, "How is Megaladon?"

[@landybob8393]

👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼

[@LeviathanSpeaks1469]

Damn. Now I want a CGI documentary about the lifespan of a Megalodon Shark from infancy to adulthood narrated by David Attenborough 🦈

[@godslaughter]

Just like any other neurologically complex animal, they're sentient, thinking creatures just trying to survive, they're not mindless monsters like the media portrays them as. If Megalodon was still a living species today, organising underwater photoshoots and observation would be so cool. Truly an astounding animal.

[@randomconsumer4494]

Fossiliferous.... Has a nice ring to it. Fun to say. Would make a good name for a band.

[@NV..V]

Great Video, as always. Thank you! BTW - When I was stationed in Panama in the 80s they told us Gatun is pronounced as Ga-Toon.

[@megaroo6110]

Mangroves, used as nurseries by sharks today, are in danger. Rising sea levels, changes in ocean salinity and a rise in ocean temperatures, all effects of climate change, are having damaging affects on the mangroves where these adorable murder fish have their beh-behs. Why do I picture sharks in little baby bonnets when I think of shark nurseries?

[@arjunjadhav8658]

I really want to see how they looked exactly Nice video by the way

[@toragon2736]

Thanks for this video I wanted to know about large sharks nurseries Like in video u said about the meg I also want to know about cretoxyrhina as well (In your other video I saw)

[@RagmaticalRachel]

This channel is awesome. So glad it was recommended!

[@RagmaticalRachel]

Thanks for the sources too

[@thatoneperson3762]

sharks are so lovely! if i weren't so afraid of staring into the depth of the ocean i'd love to study them more closely and possibly work with them as a marine biologist specialising in sharks :D they're a pretty important part of our ecosystem and don't get enough advocacy to secure their species

[@oneshotme]

Enjoyed your video so I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@CHEWBACCA257]

I ask out of sheer curiosity, where is your accent from? As a Canadian, I don’t really recognize English accents, please forgive my ignorance. Love your videos by the way.

[@keepcalmlovedinosaurs8934]

Another incredible video from these lot! You should have universities named after you!

[@JohnJohansen2]

Please keep on with the shark month. 👍

[@thomasthemetriacanthosauru7030]

The place I mentioned in a comment on a previous video (the shark tooth hunting one) Walton on the Naze which may be one of these nurseries that megalodon used it is certainly a shark nursery for the numeropus other sharks found there such as Hammerheads, Tigers, The giant Snaggletooth Hemipristis serra, Sandtigers, Makos and many more. Amazing video very interesting. I have had the fortune of finding a baby tooth of Hemipristis serra which I feel very lucky for finding.

[@daxxonjabiru428]

Megalodon may have been 'oar' inspiring, but even if you were clear thinking enough to grab an oar, I seriously doubt it would have made much difference if Meg wanted you for lunch. Think, McFly!

[@ARedMotorcycle]

"Mary land"? That's adorable.

[@JessmanChicken86]

Is shark week more than one week? I'm not complaining, just saying though.

[@williamamely7038]

Hey Ben. While Megalodon is still depicted as a super sized Great White, you did once mention that it could have looked more like the Greenland Shark. Has any progress been made in determining what Megalodon actually looked like?? Thanks for your attention.

[@S8tan7]

Even in the area, I imagine the odd 2m newborn went missing if their 10m teenage neighbours were kicking about

[@ruffruggednraw]

I really hope in some nature documentary we get to see a megalodon being fearsome hunter but also being a gentle giant Kinda similar to how prehistoric planet portrayed the T. rex

[@TK199999]

It also makes sense that Megalodon's extinction was a combination of events and not one single one.

[@magneticmonopole7824]

Hi Ben. What is this background music in your videos?

[@mattm2451]

Sweet Giant Monster Shark Nurseries 🥰😍

[@vassa1972]

Great stuff, and I believe its no longer around anymore but I could be wrong?

[@BlastDog44444]

It's so precious

[@b1n]

Can you guys make a video about what happens when something fossilizes please? What happens to the molecules?

[@carriedahm1564]

Megalodon: maybe I don't wanna be the bad guy anymore

[@prehistoricworld_]

Fossiliforous... I love that word

[@benderisgreat95able]

Thanks for the incredible new insight! :)

[@shadowbanned1999]

I have a question, do things make sound underwater ? Lik would there have been noises when these giant prehistoric sea creatures fought or would it have been a silent film ? I only ask coz fish don't scream when there killed but these Dino's probs had echo and shtuff

[@RebornRockerVids]

Imagine if aliens came here and announced that they have been studying Earth for hundreds of millions of years. Sadly it's probably the only way that we'll find out all the answers.

[@Boom12]

What a great Shark Week. Now then, can we continue with the Walking with Dinosaurs lookback?

[@rjsblanket3024]

Even terrifying beast have souls🦈🦈🦈

[@popcorndays786]

“People think sharks are the monsters, but we are the monsters”

[@oldrabbit8290]

when a 3 meters shark (which is larger than many shark species nowadays) need a nursery ground, you know the water is metal af..

[@cheukguanting123]

watching meg 2 tomorrow thanks

[@dinology1064]

Will you tell me about (dae, iae, ria ) used in marking at last in a name of groups, suborders, subgroups and ...... in classification of animals if anyone knows about it please explain me how and where to use them

[@Grubnessul]

How do I imagine a shark nursery? Is it just an area "small" megalodons hang out, or are adults actively guarding it?

[@cathalhughes5996]

Was the gatun formation where the sea sloths existed as well? Or was this too early?

[@highfive7689]

Has anyone made any calculations as to the amount of food Megalodon required just to keep it alive? Did it have to eat large prey once a week, or much more? Megalodon's size may also required that it live in deeper depths to control it's body temps. Which I think the Great white does, where it has like sleep stage as well.There's a reason why the filter feeding sharks grow so large, and it has to do with it diet.

[@chieckenman4432]

Some prehistoric predators such as Megalodon, T. rex, Sabertooth tigers, etc: *are actually animals that have feelings too and does what it does to survive* How humans depict them: mindless killing machines that massacre everything on its way

[@blank1778]

Fish and reptile actually don’t have feelings nor care for us or their young

[@holypaladin4657]

Why can’t you understand they are both... when it comes to their own progeny, they are alright (until they reach adulthood that is), but for anything smaller than them they are a fucking terrible monster that will brutally tear them apart without remorse in order to consume them, and not always for food (many predators are observed to kill even for entertainment and/or practice). Why do humans depict brutal predators like Disney animals?

[@alexandralittle3915]

Holy Paladin lol your crazy if you think apex predators kill for fun. They kill for food and protection and nothing else. They are animals. Yes they are dangerous. But they won’t kill you unless they think your a threat or their hungry.

[@holypaladin4657]

Alexandra Little They have been observed to kill for entertainment and practice, as I’ve said... it’s called surplus killing.

[@alexandralittle3915]

Holy Paladin for practice yes. But never for pleasure. Only apes and occasionally dolphins are able to kill for pleasure.

[@TheTexasTravis]

“Formation in mary-land” lmao, love your vids though Ben!

[@Frogboyaidan]

I live in Maryland

[@TheTexasTravis]

Molly_music band it is indeed not mary-land then, right?

[@tinamclaughlin1991]

Good mother Megalodon? Aww. 😍💞💓❤️

[@Everdred]

I have to know where in Maryland would the nursery possibly be!! I live in MD so I’d like to check it out myself!

[@zacksnodgrass1204]

Probably Calvert cliffs im from MD myself

[@Everdred]

Zack Snodgrass thank you I’m definitely going to look into it

[@aliciasimmons8473]

Thanks for the video

[@Rarest26]

"including places such as the Canary Islands" Good thing Megalodon is gone, because that would definitely suck for tourism. I guess some people would find it cute to see babies of this thing, but still.

[@HalseyHFW]

They'd eat all the Canarys!

[@Rarest26]

@@HalseyHFW Yup

[@abyssal_phoenix]

I don’t think they would attack humans that fast, since humans would have hunted them for meat, so they slowly became afraid of us

[@Rarest26]

@@abyssal_phoenix I doubt the old habitants of the islands would have done much to a 15+ meter shark. Nowadays, fair enough.

[@Trash_boatt]

@@Rarest26 oh trust me they would + sharks aren't only kill kill kill ya know

[@petergriffiths5537]

This music is dope

[@ailissaratermann2998]

Sharks should be respect by ppl they are not monsters they live on instinct that has been there for thousands of years if you go into the water that is their home there is a chance you are gonna get bit by them do they mean to bit ppl no they don't their home should be respect

[@Dman9fp]

People tend to be inherently selfish and care more about "what is this going to do for me/ do to me"? More than have empathy lol. Nobody and nothing is immune unfortunately

[@aliciasimmons8473]

This is my favorite shark

[@nilspochat8665]

Baby Megalodon is the size of a human adult. The adults nursing them makes those babies scarier in my book.

[@bestboy138]

Cool pics bro. i was trippin’ on that shit.

[@rachelprighel4409]

Eew

[@Gloomire]

wait.. does that mean i can have my second try at getting another pet shark!? i'll take extra good care of him, his name is gonna be jimmy

[@ibi1453]

give us the music pls

[@Brianna-eo8nu]

Sharks, insects and dinosaurs are the holy trinity of organisms that are unfairly stereotyped by certain people as “scary” creatures, treated and talked about more like Hollywood monsters rather then what they actually are; *animals*

[@BugsandBiology]

Agreed, but I think snakes should be added to that list too.

[@bluewatson4341]

We were so close to actually seeing one of these- only 1,000,000 years 😔

[@rexy-mc1oy]

Hello there nice cool information about Megalodon say what music do you use in the video?

[@aguywholikespaleontology2245]

It's hard to think that as a baby, a Megalodon has to avoid predators like Acrophyseter

[@irenethomsen78]

*Imagine living in a world where this thing is as common as like a Great White*

[@jaithraperera8905]

Squalicorax for next year shark week pls

[@spencerstrickland5266]

3:11 Hey😀 That's a picture of a very famous South African great white. He's named 'Gash' ever since he ripped his cheek open so he could escape an unbreakable alloy, hook that's made specifically for catching great whites. (Gash is a big boy, but Submarine is another South African great white rumored to be bigger😎)

[@fawnieee]

I thought submarine was fake and was a made up thing in shark week? A thing made up in the 1970's to scare the public, that's where it started?

[@spencerstrickland5266]

@@fawnieee That "documentary" was fake as shit, yes. But the shark herself might be real, and if she does exist, she most likely has never eaten anyone. I should've been more aware of what I was typing. Gash would have to be a female. Because male great whites don't get bigger than 15ft My bad🤪

[@SalreixVonOtsuu]

1:01 is my background wallpaper to this day

[@sushibeats_420]

Baby shark *but epic*

[@sharkladtm2264]

Til next year

[@misomaniac3907]

What is the music used at 2:00? Love the channel

[@jaisanatanrashtra7035]

Softer side More like Accurate side Becoz it's not a movie monster It's a living Creatures 👌👍

[@savharris5702]

Figured if I hung around long enough I'd get A Ben Thomas joint...,

[@JustADioWhosAHeroForFun]

Baby Megalodons are probably just normal great whites

[@shadowmax889]

All episode I was like baby shark doo doo doo...