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Of all the creatures in the animal kingdom, a shark is the one many people are likely to avoid. But of the 400 or so shark species swimming in the oceans, just three or four attack humans.

And now a study suggests that, in fact, sharks have complex personalities, and many of them are surprisingly sociable. The research appears to prove that sociability between sharks varies enormously, and is not determined by the species or where they happen to live.

The study analyzed 10 groups of 10 small spotted catsharks, watching their interaction in three environments. It showed that some sharks — regardless of environment — enjoy each other’s company, gathering in groups and sometimes lying on top of each other to rest. But other sharks were loners, staying away from any group.

The study shows animals display not just character traits, but individual personalities, and possibly even emotion, too. Prof William Hughes, an animal behavior expert, says: “Personality is just a term used. We’re not talking about animals having human personality traits. What we mean by animal personality is their individual behavioral traits remain the same over time and across contexts.”

The professor took human behavior as an example. “Imagine if we took 10 work colleagues and placed them in a bar, and observed which individuals sat with which other individuals for the evening. Then you did the same thing in a nightclub and in the work environment.”

Some small spotted catsharks are found fond of hanging out with their friends. Others, bless them, just want some peace and quiet away from the dance floor. A similar experiment observed lemon sharks and found that while some were curiosity seekers, others were less keen to explore. “They are not machines, they have personalities,” the researcher said.

Scientists are increasingly confident that animals, from insects to primates, display complex personalities. They found that freshwater crayfish display anxiety, hiding in dark corners of a tank, rather than brightly lit parts. Brown trout also display shyness.

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