The Great White shark has many names including the white pointer, white shark, and the melodramatic “white death.” They are also known by their scientific name Carcharodon carcharias. These beautiful sharks have slate-grey dorsal region, (upper bodies), to blend in with the rocks cluttering the coastal sea floor. The magnificent creatures received their name “The Great White Shark” from their signature white ventral region (underbellies). They are very sleek in the water. Their torpedo-shaped bodies and powerful tails allow these speedy swimmers to speed through the water at up to 24 kilometers (15 miles) per hour. They have the ability to completely leave the water, similarly to whales, when attacking their prey from beneath the surface. Great White Sharks can grow to an average of 4.6 meters (15 feet) in length, though there have been sharks exceeding 6 meters (20 feet) and weighing up to 2,268 kilograms (5,000 pounds) recorded during testing and/or tagging.
Great Whites are highly adapted predators with their mouths containing over 300 triangular, serrated teeth. When any of their many teeth fall out it is quickly replaces as the row behind it move forward to take it’s place. They mainly prey on seals, sea lions, small toothed whales, carrion, and even sea turtles. Great Whites hunt from beneath the surface, once they spot some prey they use their force and speed to push the prey out of the water whilst biting them. There are over 100 shark attacks recorded each year, 33% to 50% of those attacks are committed by Great White sharks. However most, if not, all of these attacks are not fatal. The naturally curious creatures tend to “sample bite” the victims before letting them go and continuing their search for their natural food sources. Yearly, approximately ten humans die at the fins of sharks, let alone Great Whites. Mosquitos, snakes, and even elephants and dogs, at cause of rabies, kill more humans each year. Lightning strikes kill more than all sharks combined. The threat of these creatures are truly overrated.
Great Whites do sometimes hunt in groups, despite their lone reputation, they then share their earnings with each other somewhat equally. Scientists often compliment White Sharks on their quick adaptation and learning skills. Great Whites are considered extremely intelligent and highly inquisitive by a number of scientists. Each shark has different reactions to certain situations, such as either assertively body-slamming each other to open-mouthed gaping at one another when in a gathering of White Sharks. Seals and Dolphins are considered very intelligent and clever creatures. White Sharks have been able to outsmart these clever sea-dwellers for hundreds of years. Proving them to be very intelligent animals, compared to some other fish especially.
When it come to water temperature, with the exceptions of short trips to northern colder waters, Great Whites tend to stick to more mild temperatures. Instead of staying in the dark, murky depths of the vast ocean, Great Whites prefer staying close to the shore and near the surface, where a plethora of food presents itself and is easy to catch. Great Whites migrate very far distances during their lifetimes. One shark swam from South Africa to Australia made the longest migration of any fish ever recorded.
Great Whites are a part of the exclusive group of fish that give birth rather than lay eggs. Great Whites eggs, unlike most fish, are internally fertilized rather than externally fertilized. The pups hatch and develop inside of the female for an estimated eleven months before being born in litters of two to ten pups. There is not much information about the “private life” of White Sharks. After birth, the pups are 1.5 meters (5 feet) in length. Great white males mature sooner than females with the males taking nine to ten years to mature, while females take 14-16 years to mature. There is a theory that the female sharks give birth once every few years. Preparing for adulthood, younger Great Whites eat fish and ray before advancing to sea lions and seas.
Is there anything older than dinosaurs that is larger than a pinhead? Many people may answer no, but that would be incorrect. Among the many organisms that “came before” the dinosaurs, sharks predate dinosaurs by over 170 million years. Sharks supposedly existed over 400 million years ago during the Ordovician period. Have you ever dreamed of having a sixth sense? Sharks actually have one, despite their amazing sense of smell, and their other enhanced senses, Great Whites actually have organs that sense the tiny electromagnetic fields animals generate.
Great Whites are considered one of the many endangered species. Being one of the best predators of the ocean, the only real threat to the Great White sharks’ survival as a species is humanity. Most “accidental” deaths are caused by careless fishermen who catch sharks in their longlines or trawlers. Though many people catch Great Whites to sell their fins for shark fin pills or shark fin soup and other terrible “delicacies” requiring shark meat. A few beaches use shark nets to keep sharks away from their popular shores for business purposes. These nets do not simple keep the sharks out, they kill almost any shark that comes into contact with it. There have been a few protests against shark nets but only a few, barely enough. Some people just hunt Great White’s for sport, collecting their teeth and jaws as trophies. And, of course, pollution; heavy metals and toxins that build up on the shark’s body, eventually causing its death. Great White shark’s population have subsided a substantial amount of over 70% in the last 15 years.
An easy and simple way to help White Sharks is to not purchase their jaws or teeth as collectibles or items made from their fins. You could also learn more about the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy is an organization in which the main goal is to raise awareness of the endangerment of, help save, educate, and research Great White Sharks. They have plenty of opportunities to learn more about these magnificent hunters and their researchers who dedicate most of their time to learning more about White Sharks. You can also learn about and join the gills club, an opportunity for girls to engage in many projects aiming to make a significant impact on the way most people perceive Great White Sharks. Go to their website to learn more about what they are doing and how you can help them help the world of Great White Sharks.
Sources:
"Great White Shark Facts." Animal Fact Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2017.
"Home." Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2017.
Institution, Smithsonian. "Great White Shark." Ocean Portal | Smithsonian. Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, 31 Aug. 2016. Web. 05 May 2017.
News, CBS. "Bill Gates Reveals the Deadliest Animal around." CBS News. CBS Interactive, 29 Apr. 2014. Web. 05 May 2017.
Society, National Geographic. "Great White Sharks - Shark Pictures - Great White Facts." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2017.
Great Whites are highly adapted predators with their mouths containing over 300 triangular, serrated teeth. When any of their many teeth fall out it is quickly replaces as the row behind it move forward to take it’s place. They mainly prey on seals, sea lions, small toothed whales, carrion, and even sea turtles. Great Whites hunt from beneath the surface, once they spot some prey they use their force and speed to push the prey out of the water whilst biting them. There are over 100 shark attacks recorded each year, 33% to 50% of those attacks are committed by Great White sharks. However most, if not, all of these attacks are not fatal. The naturally curious creatures tend to “sample bite” the victims before letting them go and continuing their search for their natural food sources. Yearly, approximately ten humans die at the fins of sharks, let alone Great Whites. Mosquitos, snakes, and even elephants and dogs, at cause of rabies, kill more humans each year. Lightning strikes kill more than all sharks combined. The threat of these creatures are truly overrated.
Great Whites do sometimes hunt in groups, despite their lone reputation, they then share their earnings with each other somewhat equally. Scientists often compliment White Sharks on their quick adaptation and learning skills. Great Whites are considered extremely intelligent and highly inquisitive by a number of scientists. Each shark has different reactions to certain situations, such as either assertively body-slamming each other to open-mouthed gaping at one another when in a gathering of White Sharks. Seals and Dolphins are considered very intelligent and clever creatures. White Sharks have been able to outsmart these clever sea-dwellers for hundreds of years. Proving them to be very intelligent animals, compared to some other fish especially.
When it come to water temperature, with the exceptions of short trips to northern colder waters, Great Whites tend to stick to more mild temperatures. Instead of staying in the dark, murky depths of the vast ocean, Great Whites prefer staying close to the shore and near the surface, where a plethora of food presents itself and is easy to catch. Great Whites migrate very far distances during their lifetimes. One shark swam from South Africa to Australia made the longest migration of any fish ever recorded.
Great Whites are a part of the exclusive group of fish that give birth rather than lay eggs. Great Whites eggs, unlike most fish, are internally fertilized rather than externally fertilized. The pups hatch and develop inside of the female for an estimated eleven months before being born in litters of two to ten pups. There is not much information about the “private life” of White Sharks. After birth, the pups are 1.5 meters (5 feet) in length. Great white males mature sooner than females with the males taking nine to ten years to mature, while females take 14-16 years to mature. There is a theory that the female sharks give birth once every few years. Preparing for adulthood, younger Great Whites eat fish and ray before advancing to sea lions and seas.
Is there anything older than dinosaurs that is larger than a pinhead? Many people may answer no, but that would be incorrect. Among the many organisms that “came before” the dinosaurs, sharks predate dinosaurs by over 170 million years. Sharks supposedly existed over 400 million years ago during the Ordovician period. Have you ever dreamed of having a sixth sense? Sharks actually have one, despite their amazing sense of smell, and their other enhanced senses, Great Whites actually have organs that sense the tiny electromagnetic fields animals generate.
Great Whites are considered one of the many endangered species. Being one of the best predators of the ocean, the only real threat to the Great White sharks’ survival as a species is humanity. Most “accidental” deaths are caused by careless fishermen who catch sharks in their longlines or trawlers. Though many people catch Great Whites to sell their fins for shark fin pills or shark fin soup and other terrible “delicacies” requiring shark meat. A few beaches use shark nets to keep sharks away from their popular shores for business purposes. These nets do not simple keep the sharks out, they kill almost any shark that comes into contact with it. There have been a few protests against shark nets but only a few, barely enough. Some people just hunt Great White’s for sport, collecting their teeth and jaws as trophies. And, of course, pollution; heavy metals and toxins that build up on the shark’s body, eventually causing its death. Great White shark’s population have subsided a substantial amount of over 70% in the last 15 years.
An easy and simple way to help White Sharks is to not purchase their jaws or teeth as collectibles or items made from their fins. You could also learn more about the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy is an organization in which the main goal is to raise awareness of the endangerment of, help save, educate, and research Great White Sharks. They have plenty of opportunities to learn more about these magnificent hunters and their researchers who dedicate most of their time to learning more about White Sharks. You can also learn about and join the gills club, an opportunity for girls to engage in many projects aiming to make a significant impact on the way most people perceive Great White Sharks. Go to their website to learn more about what they are doing and how you can help them help the world of Great White Sharks.
Sources:
"Great White Shark Facts." Animal Fact Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2017.
"Home." Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2017.
Institution, Smithsonian. "Great White Shark." Ocean Portal | Smithsonian. Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, 31 Aug. 2016. Web. 05 May 2017.
News, CBS. "Bill Gates Reveals the Deadliest Animal around." CBS News. CBS Interactive, 29 Apr. 2014. Web. 05 May 2017.
Society, National Geographic. "Great White Sharks - Shark Pictures - Great White Facts." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2017.