The great white shark is the largest and most ferocious predator in the ocean. The scientific name of this fish is Carcharodon carcharias. The name comes from two Greek words meaning “pointed” and “teeth”.
How big do Great white sharks get?
They are huge fish that can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh 4000 pounds. As adults, great whites are at the top of the ocean food chain. The only animals that attack great white sharks are killer whales and other great white sharks. Great whites also have strong jaws with many long teeth that can be up to 2 1/2 inches long.
Great white sharks have a white belly but a darker top. This gives them some camouflage for their prey, where they tend to blend into the dark ocean floor when viewed from above and with a shiny surface when viewed from below.
Great White Sharks have three major fins:
Dorsal fin – the top one that can rise out of the water like in the movie Jaws.
Pectoral fins – there are two on each side of the shark
Tail fin – the fin on the shark’s tail
What do Great white sharks eat?
Sharks are carnivores that eat other animals. Smaller and smaller great white sharks mainly feed on other fish such as tuna. Adult great whites, however, prefer to hunt marine mammals such as sea lions and seals. They have even been known to take down whales, dolphins, and seabirds. Sharks do not chew food, but tear large pieces of meat and swallow them whole.
Where do Great white sharks live?
Great white sharks are found in all oceans of the world, usually in cool waters near the coast. They live in places with water temperatures between 54 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. They are commonly found near Japan, Australia, South Africa and both coasts of the United States.
What are baby great whites called?
A great white shark is called a baby. The puppies are quite large, 5 feet long, when they are born. Mothers do not care for their young when they are born and sometimes even try to eat them.
Great white sharks Have Great Senses
One of the reasons sharks, including great whites, are such good hunters is because they have amazing senses including smell, hearing, and sight. They also have a sensitive electrode-receptive sense called Lorenzini tubes. Their sense of smell is so good that they can detect blood in water up to three miles away.
Interesting Facts About Great White Sharks
Several great whites have been tracked swimming from South Africa to Australia.
They may be large, but they can reach speeds of 40 miles per hour while swimming.
Sharks are considered vulnerable on the endangered species list and are protected in some areas.
Great white sharks do not do well in captivity. Some lived for more than six months before being released into the sea.
They have a lifespan of about 25 years.
Shark skin is very rough and can be used as sandpaper.