So What if it Bites you and Stings You? Life in the River Thames

Remember, if it bites you and you die - it is venomous. If you bite it and you die - it’s poisonous. That being said, did you know there was life in London's river Thames? Sure, there are regular creatures that you would expect to see like fish, seahorses, eels, and even seals. But a shark covered in poisonous spines has appeared. Unlike the "internet eating sharks" we talked about in a previous article, the spurdog shark tends to live in deeper waters. These sharks, also known as the spiny dogfish, have been known to hunt in packs that can range up into the thousands, so similar to coyotes, if you see one there are at least 100 right behind it. Spiny dogfish are aggressive hunters and have a sizable diet that can range from squid, fish, crab, jellyfish, sea cucumber, shrimp, and other invertebrates, which also means that the river Thames has seen an overall increase in its water life. Spurdogs can be found in deep water, and the spines in front of the shark's two dorsal fins secrete a venom that can cause pain and swelling in humans.

Tope shark, which feed on fish and crustaceans and can reach 6 feet and up to 106 pounds, have never launched an unprovoked attack on humans, according to the UK's Wildlife Trusts. Meanwhile, the starry smooth-hound, which can reach up to 4 feet and 25 pounds, mostly eats crustaceans, shellfish, and mollusks.

However, the number of fish species found in the tidal areas of the river has shown a slight decline, and conservation scientists have warned that further research is needed to understand why. It's an amazing story of recovery: in 1858, sewage clogging London's Thames River caused a "Great Stink." Then in 1957, parts of the famed waterway were declared biologically dead with minimal to no signs of any biological life due to pollution related damage. The current biodiversity of the 215-mile river Thames is fairly diverse with it being home to more than 115 species of fish and 92 species of bird. Unfortunately, pollution and climate change are still a threat and factor. Water levels have steadily risen since monitoring began in 1911 in the tidal section of the Thames, rising at some points by 0.17 inch a year on average since 1990. This change could negatively impact the existing ecosystems to the point that parts of the river may "die" again.

So what is the importance of the Thames? The river also provides drinking water, food, livelihoods and protection from coastal flooding to surrounding communities. It also serves as a shipping route as well as a tourist attraction. Because it is the longest river in England and the second longest in the UK, it has been in the center of British history with many major historical events occurring around it.

Climate change has increased the Thames' temperature by 0.2 degrees Celsius a year on average, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) said, warning that this "paints a worrying picture" when combined with sea level rises. Water levels have been increasing since monitoring began in 1911 in the tidal section of the Thames, rising at some points by 0.17 inch a year on average since 1990. "As water temperature and sea levels continue to rise above historic baselines, the estuary's wildlife will be particularly impacted, through changes to species' lifecycles and ranges," ZSL warned in a statement.