How much does a shark weigh: rating of the most-most. Great white shark (lat. Carcharodon carcharias) The largest white shark

The second article from the "Summer with Sharks" series tells about the famous representative of the giant marine predators - the great white shark, remembered by many from the movie "Jaws". Is this huge fish as dangerous and bloodthirsty as is commonly believed?

Meeting with a great white shark in the ocean is somehow not like what the imagination draws: the fish does not at all look like a bloodthirsty monster, about which thousands of television programs talk about with chilling intonations in their voice. She is very plump - like a fat sausage - with her mouth, as if parted in a self-satisfied grin, with shaking flabby wings. In a word, if you look from the side, one of the most dangerous predators of the planet resembles a gaping clown. And only when the "clown" turns to face you, so to speak, do you understand why this predator causes such fear - and they are afraid of him almost more than any other animal on the planet. The shark's muzzle no longer seems flabby - it narrows into an ominous battering ram with black unblinking eyes. The smirk disappears and all you see is rows of five-centimeter teeth protruding from the jaws (when they bite, they create a pressure force of 1800 kilograms per square centimeter). The shark is slowly but surely approaching you. Turns his head - first in one direction, then in the other, assessing whether the prey, that is, you, is worthy of wasting time on it. Then, if you are lucky, she will turn around, turn into a clown again, and lazily disappear into the underwater darkness. More than 500 species of sharks live in the oceans, but in the minds of the vast majority of people, there is only one. When Pixar needed a villain for Finding Nemo, they didn’t choose a harmless nurse shark or an aggressive blunt shark, or even a tiger shark, which would have looked more appropriate on the coral reef where Nemo lives. No, from thousands of posters around the world, it was the big one that grinned White shark. This fish is a symbol of the oceans, but our knowledge about it is very scarce - and much of what we seem to know is simply not true. White sharks are not blood-blind killers (on the contrary, they act cautiously when attacking the victim), they do not always live alone and are probably smarter than scientists believed until recently. Even the famous series of attacks on people off the coast of New Jersey in 1916, mentioned in the movie "Jaws", may be the tricks of a blunt, not a great white shark. We do not know for sure what the duration of her life is, how many months she bears offspring when she reaches puberty. No one has ever seen great white sharks mate. or produce offspring. We do not really know how many there are and where they spend most of their lives. If in California, South Africa or Australia a predator the size of a small truck lived on land, experts would observe representatives of this species in zoos or research centers and study in detail its mating behavior, migration routes, and habits. But underwater have their own laws. White sharks appear and disappear at will, and it is almost impossible to follow them into the depths of the sea. They do not want to live in aquariums - some refuse to eat and die of hunger, others attack all neighbors and smash their heads against the walls. And yet, scientists using modern technology may already be close to answering two of the most exciting questions: how many great white sharks are and where they hide. This is necessary to know in order to decide how to protect ourselves from white sharks and how to protect them from us, and to understand what the most terrible predator on the planet deserves more - fear or pity.

Brian Skerry A great white shark rips up the water surface near the Neptune Islands. Scientists distinguish sharks by their dorsal fins, scars, and a jagged line separating the white ventral and gray dorsal parts of the body.

A seven-meter fishing boat bobs in the waves off the southern tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It's a beautiful summer day. The passengers—three scientists, two paid tourists, a couple of journalists, and the captain—were comfortably seated, looking out toward Nantucket Island. Suddenly, the walkie-talkie comes to life, and the voice of the pilot-observer from a height of 300 meters says in a sharp New England accent: “There is a great shark to the south of you!”. Marine biologist Greg Skomal perks up. He stands on a bridge fenced with railings, which protrudes one and a half meters ahead of the bow of the boat and looks like a plank along which pirates pushed those sentenced to death into the sea. If we were in a Hollywood movie, Greg would have a wooden leg and a harpoon in his hands. But instead of a harpoon, Greg is holding a three-meter pole, at the end of which is a GoPro camera. And beams with joy when the captain starts the engine. Until 2004, almost no one saw great white sharks at East coast USA. From time to time, individual individuals appeared near the beaches or fell into the nets, but this happened very infrequently. In general, white sharks gather at certain times of the year in five areas that scientists call "hubs", by analogy with hub airports. The three main hubs are off the coast of California and Baja California, southern South Africa and Australia, where these predators prey on seals. However, the East Coast is not the right place: there are not enough seals here. The sharks that swam here were homeless vagrants. In 2004, one female made her way into the bays near the village of Woods Hole, Massachusetts. For Skomal, who by that time had been successfully marking other types of sharks with electronic beacons for twenty years, this was a rare chance: a big white appeared, one might say, right in his yard! “I thought it was an accident that will never happen again,” he says, a smile playing across his face framed by tousled gray hair. Over the next two weeks, Skomal and his colleagues followed the shark, which they named Gretel, after the lost girl from the Brothers Grimm's fairy tale, and eventually provided her with a beacon. Scientists hoped to track the movement of the shark in the Atlantic Ocean, but after 45 minutes Gretel's beacon fell off. “My excitement turned to deep despondency, because I was sure that I had missed the only chance in my life to learn something new about the great white shark,” recalls Skomal. Over the next few years, he thought a lot about Gretel and whether she really was a loner. But in September 2009, everything, fortunately, cleared up: five great white sharks were spotted from an airplane near the cape. Within a week, Skomal had tagged them all. “I almost went crazy with joy. Her heart was beating so hard it was ready to jump out of her chest. Everything I dreamed of came true! says Greg. Since then, great white sharks have returned every summer. Some scholars have even named Cape Cod as the sixth hub. How many sharks are there? To answer this question, let's turn to the data on the California hub. The first attempt to count sharks here was made in the mid-1980s by Scot Anderson, who at the time was studying seabirds on an island west of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Anderson and his colleagues tracked the sharks, first visually, then with acoustic beacons, and finally with satellites. Over the past 30 years, they have processed data from thousands of observations of individual sharks, which were distinguished by the shape of the dorsal fins, markings on the skin, or by the characteristic border between the gray back and white belly. Now we know where these sharks gather and what they eat (most of the "observations" returned here year after year). So is it possible, based on such observations, to determine the number of sharks? In 2011, a group of scientists tried to make such a calculation, and it turned out that only 219 adults live in the richest shark area in California. Even taking into account the fact that the number of predators at the top of the food pyramid is usually much smaller than the number of animals they prey on, this is still negligible. The results of the study stunned the public and were immediately criticized by other specialists.

Brian Skerry Biologist Greg Skomal tries to make a video of a shark swimming near Cape Cod. IN Lately Great white sharks have begun to regularly appear in the waters off the popular beach.

Of course, counting the number of great white sharks is much more difficult. than land animals or even marine mammals. Therefore, scientists draw conclusions based on their assumptions about the ways of movement of sharks. In the case of the California coast, the most important assumption was that the data on several feeding sites were extended to the entire hub. Another group of scientists processed the same data using different assumptions, and they found the number of sharks to be ten times greater (although they also counted juveniles). Soon, ichthyologists began to count sharks in other hubs. Let's say the population of South African sharks was estimated at 900 individuals. How big or small are these numbers? Are great white sharks thriving or dying out? There are about 4,000 tigers and 25,000 African lions in the world. Based on the most low grades, there are as many great white sharks on the planet as there are tigers, and those are known to be a threatened species. If we take the highest ratings, then these fish are no less than lions - a vulnerable species. Some experts believe that sharks are dying out, others, on the contrary, see positive changes. Some say that the increase in the number of seals indicates that there are almost no great white sharks left, others argue that the more seals, the more sharks should be. For example, Australian statistician Aaron McNeil believes that the appearance of sharks off the Cape Cod Peninsula and the increased number of sightings in the Southern Hemisphere support an optimistic view. “Over the past decade, I don’t see any evidence that sharks have become smaller,” McNeil says. – In the past there was a period of decline in numbers, but today it cannot be said that great white sharks are dying out. Perhaps their numbers are growing very slowly, but growing.” Hope remains. Today, if anyone catches great white sharks purposefully, there are very few such fishermen - however, in the Convention on International Trade in Threatened Species, this species is listed in the second category of the severity of protection, since it happens that fishermen catch these fish unintentionally. After all, if the number of the species is small, even an accidental catch can deal a crushing blow to its populations - and the great white shark, being a top predator, plays essential role in ocean ecology. To see if great white sharks need our protection, it is necessary to know not only their number, but also where they wander. Their migration paths are not as ordered as, say, birds or butterflies. Some sharks follow along the coast, others tack hundreds of kilometers into the open sea. Many white sharks, depending on the time of year, change warm waters to cold ones and vice versa. And it looks like males, females, and juveniles follow different paths. Today, with long-term satellite beacons, scientists are finally beginning to understand these intricacies. We now know that adult white sharks in California and Mexico leave the coastal zone in late autumn and go deep into the middle of the Pacific Ocean. “It’s not at all clear why they go to this area, which some call an oceanic desert,” says Salvador Jorgensen, a biologist who studies the migration and ecology of great white sharks. “What the hell are they doing there?” Isn't this "shark center" where great white sharks mate like no one has ever seen? The area about which in question, the size of California, and the depths there reach kilometers, and it is difficult to watch sharks. However, satellite beacon data shows that the females are following direct routes, while the males are surfacing and diving, probably in search of mates.

This is how the idea of ​​the life of the great white sharks of the California coast is gradually formed. After spending the summer and autumn hunting seals, they head to ocean depths to start breeding. They live at this time due to the accumulated fat reserves. Then the males return to the coast, and the females swim off somewhere for a year or so, perhaps to give birth to offspring. The young are later shown to feeding grounds (eg off the coast of Southern California) where they feed on fish before they grow large enough to join the older tribesmen. The picture drawn is not complete - males and females do not spend much time together, and we do not know where the cubs are born - but it explains a lot. For example, as the population recovers, more young appear, which may be why there have been so many sharks in Southern California lately. In other places, the calculations are more difficult. Australian sharks feed off the southern coast of the mainland, but they do not seem to have their own "center". As for the Atlantic, here our knowledge is even poorer. “We have 'tramps' and we have coastal sharks. And I have no idea what drives both of them,” says Greg Skomal. On a clear August morning, I board a two-seat plane with Wayne Davis, a pilot who has been tracking tuna and swordfish for fishermen for many years and is now helping scientists find great white sharks. It is so shallow here that sharks can be seen from the air. In just half an hour of flight, we see seven - they all patrol parts of the coast, next to which gray seals feed. On the way back, a mile to the north, we fly over beaches crowded with vacationers. So far, the locals are welcoming new neighbors. Shops sell toy sharks, T-shirts and posters featuring them, even the local high school's new mascot, the great white shark. Sharks, as a rule, are depicted in profile - smiling, similar to clowns. But sooner or later, someone will meet in the local waters another version of the great white shark - the one with teeth. However, these predators rarely encroach on people's lives. In California, the chance of a surfer being bitten by a great white shark is one in 17 million, according to Stanford University, and even less for people just swimming in the water, at one in 738 million vacationers. Will we be able to lend a helping hand to this toothy monster, are we ready to pity the ruthless monster?

intermediate ranks

Carcharodon carcharias Linnaeus,

Systematics and origin

Much remains unclear in the evolutionary relationships of the white shark and other modern and extinct species of herring sharks. The ancestor of this group was probably Isurolamna inflata, which lived about 65 - 55 million years ago and had small narrow teeth with a smooth edge and two lateral teeth. This family shows a trend towards an increase, broadening and serration of teeth in the course of evolution (transition from a grasping function to cutting and tearing), which led to the characteristic appearance of the teeth of the modern white shark.

Distribution and habitats

area

The white shark lives throughout the ocean, preferring areas of temperate coastline, continental and insular shelves, usually closer to the surface of the water. Some large specimens also appear in tropical waters. It also sometimes makes spontaneous movements to the area of ​​​​cold seas - the species has been recorded off the coast of Canada and Alaska. Large individuals are able to regularly carry out long ocean journeys. It can also be found at a decent depth - there was a case of catching a white shark at 1280 meters with bottom fishing gear along with a sixgill shark. Observations show that at least large individuals tolerate quite wide range temperatures environment- from the cold seas and the ocean floor to the coast of the tropics. At the same time, smaller individuals (less than 3 m) are found more in temperate latitudes.

Habitats

The main concentration centers of the white shark are the coastal waters of American California and Mexican Baja California, Australia and New Zealand, the Republic of South Africa and, once, the Mediterranean. It can be found in the East Coast of the United States, off the coast of Cuba, the Bahamas, Argentina, Brazil; in the Eastern Atlantic - from France to South Africa; in the Indian Ocean appears in the Red Sea, off the coast of the Seychelles, as well as off the Reunion Island and in the waters of Mauritius; in the Pacific Ocean - from the Far East to New Zealand and the western coast of America.

Migrations

Anatomy and appearance

The white shark has a strong, large, conical head. The width in the upper lobe and in the lower lobe (near the tail) is the same (as in most herring sharks). The white shark has a protective coloration: it is white in the lower part and gray in the back (sometimes with a brown or blue tint), which gives the impression of a mottled coloration, which makes it difficult to detect the shark, since its body visually disintegrates when viewed from the side. When viewed from above, the dark shadow dissolves into the thickness of the sea, and when viewed from below, the silhouette of a shark is hardly noticeable against the background of light. White sharks, like many others, have three rows of teeth. The teeth are serrated, and when the shark bites and shakes its head from side to side, the teeth cut like a saw and tear off pieces of flesh.

Dimensions

The size of a typical adult white shark is 5-6 meters with a mass of 600-3000 kg. Females are usually larger than males. Maximum size the white shark is a hotly debated topic. Richard Ellis and John E. McCosker, recognized scientific experts on sharks, devoted an entire chapter to this subject in their book The Great White Shark (1991), which analyzes various reported maximum sizes.

For several decades, many works on ichthyology, as well as the Book of Records, cited the largest of two specimens: a 6.9 m long shark, caught in southern Australian waters near Port Fairy in the 1870s, and a 7.3 m long shark, caught in a herring trap at a dam in New Brunswick, Canada in 1930. Reports of specimens being caught as long as 7.5 meters were common, but the above measurements remained record-breaking.

Some researchers question the reliability of the measurements in both cases, as these results were significantly larger than any other results obtained by accurate measurements. The New Brunswick shark may not have been a white shark, but a giant shark, since both sharks have a similar body shape. The question of the size of the Port Fairy shark was clarified in the 1970s when Gee. I. Reynolds studied the shark's mouth and found that the Port Fairy shark was about 5 meters in length. He suggested that in 1870 an error had been made in the original measurement.

Ellis and McCosker determined the size of the largest specimen, the length of which was reliably measured, at 6.4 meters, which was caught in Cuban waters in 1945. However, in this case, there are experts who claim that the shark was actually several feet shorter. The unconfirmed weight of this Cuban shark is 3270 kg.

Nutrition

Young sharks feed on small fish, tuna. Grown up sharks switch to feeding on seals, do not bypass the carcasses of dead whales. Their light coloration makes them less visible against underwater rocks when they are stalking prey. Their high body temperature makes them faster and smarter than most sharks, which is essential when hunting seals. Fatty foods are needed to maintain a high temperature. The blood vessels that carry blood to the skin transfer heat to the blood vessels that carry blood in the opposite direction to reduce heat loss. The white shark first attacks horizontally on seals, like fish, but then changes its habit and attacks from below, so that the prey does not notice it until the last. Sometimes a shark takes people for seals and attacks, but, feeling bones in its teeth instead of seal fat, lets go. And since these predators usually swim in a flock, there can be several bites. When attacking, it rolls its eyes to protect them from the claws of victims.

reproduction

Notes

1. Reshetnikov Yu. S., Kotlyar A. N., Rass T. S., Shatunovsky M. I. Five-language dictionary of animal names. Fish. Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / under the general editorship of acad. V. E. Sokolova. - M .: Rus. yaz., 1989. - S. 23. - 12,500 copies. - ISBN 5-200-00237-0
2. Great White Sharks now more endangered than tigers with just 3,500 left in the oceans | mail online
3. Carol Martins & Craig Knickle WHITE SHARK (English) . Education. Florida Museum of Natural History. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
4. Jim Bourdon Carcharodon (English) . The Life and Times of Long Dead Sharks(2009). Archived from the original on June 5, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
5. R. Aidan Martin Fossil History of the White Shark. ReefQuest Center for Shark Research. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
6. Compagno L.J.V. Part 2 - Carcharhiniformes // Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalog of shark species known to date / Pere Oliver. - Rome: FAO, 2001. - Vol. 2. Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). - P. 100-107. - $269 - (FAO Species Catalog for Fishery Purposes). - ISBN 92-5-104543-7
7. Ramon Bonfil; Michael Meÿer, Michael C. Scholl, Ryan Johnson, Shannon O'Brien, Herman Oosthuizen, Stephan Swanson, Deon Kotze and Michael Paterson2 Transoceanic Migration, Spatial Dynamics, and Population Linkages of White Sharks. science magazine. AAAS (October 7, 2005).

Fear and curiosity - the creators of the Jaws blockbuster expected to evoke such feelings in the audience, but the effect exceeded all expectations. And it's not about the "Oscar" and record box office. The great white shark, presented in the film as a monster greedy for human flesh, began to be caught and exterminated without hesitation.

However, ichthyologists will say that in most cases, white shark attacks on humans are the result of incorrect identification of a swimming object. When viewed from a depth, a diver or surfer can easily pass for a pinniped animal or a turtle, and in general, great white sharks, due to their curiosity, try everything for a tooth.

Today, about 3.5 thousand individuals of this ancient predator live in the world's oceans, which is certainly dangerous and therefore insufficiently studied. But like any animal with a sinister reputation, the great white shark will always be of interest, especially to thrill-seekers.

Origin of the white shark

Previously, it was believed that white sharks descended from megalodon - a giant fish, up to 30 m long and weighing almost 50 tons, which became extinct 3 million years ago. But modern studies of the remains of the superpredator have made it possible to establish that megalodons belong to the family Otodontidae, and white sharks belong to the family of herring sharks, so the supporters of the version have greatly diminished.

Today, scientists consider Isurus hastalis, one of the extinct species of mako shark, to be the recognized ancestor of the white shark. Both predators have almost the same structure of teeth, only in the white shark, during evolution, notches formed along the edges of the tooth.

Taxonomy of the white shark

The white shark belongs to the class of cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes), which means that its skeleton does not have bones, but consists entirely of cartilaginous tissue. In addition to sharks, stingrays and chimeras have this feature.

The white shark belongs to the order Lamniformes, which includes large species of sharks with a torpedo-shaped body.

A dense build, a pointed muzzle and 5 gill slits made it possible to classify the white shark as a family of herring or lamb sharks (Lamnidae). Its closest relatives are mako shark, salmon shark and lamna.

The genus of white sharks (Carcharodon) includes 2 extinct and one modern species - the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also called carcharodon or, thanks to its infamous fame, the man-eating shark.

Appearance of a great white shark

This is a stocky fish with a dense body, elongated in the shape of a torpedo. The head of the predator is very large, conical, with a pointed muzzle and a mouth, a curved parabola. On the sides of the head, closer to the pectoral fin, there are 5 huge gill slits that provide water breathing.

The pectoral fins are large, elongated in the shape of a sickle. The first dorsal fin is high, triangular in shape, growing slightly beyond the base of the pectoral fins. Sometimes its top is rounded. The second dorsal fin is quite small, as is the anal fin. On the ventral fin of males there is an elongated element - a copulatory outgrowth.

The tail fin blades of the white shark are of the same width, which is typical for other herring sharks, capable of developing a decent speed before attacking.

The name "white" shark does not quite correctly convey the color of the predator. Its upper part and sides are often gray, sometimes brownish or with a blue tint. There are dark, almost black specimens. But the belly of a white shark is off-white.

Newborn sharks and adults are exactly the same in appearance, but differ only in size.

How much does a white shark weigh

The maximum possible dimensions and weight of carcharodon still cause heated debate in scientific circles. In the authoritative encyclopedia of past years, "Animal Life" in 1971 is called greatest growth measured white shark - 11 m, no indication of weight. However, the opinion of modern scientists on this matter is less optimistic. Ichthyologists believe that, given an ideal habitat, the white shark can grow up to a maximum of 6.8 m in length.

A number of scientific sources state that largest white shark was caught off the coast of Cuba in 1945. Its length was 6.4 m, and the estimated weight was 3,324 kg. The measurements were taken based on a photo of a white shark, so some experts believe that the real size of the fish is overestimated by at least 1 meter.

In 1988, a white shark was caught off the Canadian coast, which was measured and weighed. It was a female, 6.1 m long and weighing about 1,900 kg. This copy is considered so far the only one whose dimensions and weight have been reliably confirmed.

An interesting fact: if we compare the weight of a great white shark with large representatives of other families, then its mass with the same length will be almost 2 times more!

On average, adults weigh from 680 to 1,100 kg. Females are heavier and larger than males, their length is 4.6-4.9 m, males grow from 3.4 to 4 m.

Nevertheless, it is not so much the impressive dimensions of the great white shark that excites the minds, but its deadly mouth. Indeed, larger predators live in the depths of the sea, for example, representatives of the family giant sharks, and white shark teeth are unique in their kind.

How many teeth does a white shark have

This predator has the largest teeth of all fish that exist today, their length is about 5 cm. Triangular-shaped teeth with coarse serrations along the edges are arranged in several rows and are constantly updated. The number of rows depends on the age of the fish, they can be from 3 to 7. The upper jaws have larger teeth, the teeth on the lower jaw are smaller, but sharper.

Each row can contain from 30 to 40 teeth, i.e. the total number of teeth in the mouth of a great white shark is more than 300 pieces.

The teeth of the first, working row quickly wear out and, to replace the lost ones, fully formed new teeth rise and move forward from the gums. Such a "conveyor" is provided by mobility in the gums and short roots of the teeth.

Today, those who like to tickle their nerves do not have to watch thrillers about sharks. An extreme type of ecotourism is very popular - diving in a cage, when a person, protected only by metal rods, sees a deadly mouth at arm's length. famous predator. Entertainment costs everyone 50-150 euros. Dangerous rides are waiting for their customers in places where the representatives of the species are most congested.

Where are white sharks found

Despite a clear downward trend in the species, white sharks continue to inhabit all oceans except the Arctic. The most numerous populations are found off the coast of South Africa, the US state of California, the Mexican state of Baja California, Australia and New Zealand. From here come the best photos of the white shark, chilling the soul with their realism.

Most Carcharodons prefer coastal waters. temperate zone with t from 12 to 24 ° C and keep almost under the surface of the water. However, large specimens feel great in tropical waters, cold seas, in the open ocean, as well as at considerable depths. A great white shark was once documented at a depth of 1,280 m using industrial bottom-dwelling gear.

Before the invention of radio beacons, it was believed that long journeys were characteristic only of male white sharks, while females kept their native shores all their lives. However, the ability to track the movements of fish with the help of modern equipment proved the fact of long-term migrations by individuals of both sexes.

For what purpose great white sharks overcome colossal distances remains a mystery. For example, it took one individual 9 months to travel 20,000 km from the coast of South Africa to Australia and back. It is possible that long-term migrations are associated with reproduction or seasonal fluctuations in the food supply in different parts of the range.

What do white sharks eat

Their diet is extremely varied, but despite the reputation of eaters of everything, white sharks feed mainly on fish, crabs, small marine animals, cephalopods and bivalves. Of the fish in the stomachs of caught specimens, herring, sardines, rays and tuna are found. Dolphins, porpoises, sea beavers, sea lions and seals often become prey for predators.

The undigested remains in the stomachs of white sharks once again confirm how aggressive these predators are towards other marine life. Their victims are beaked whales, sharp-snouted crocodiles, northern sea ​​elephants, moonfish and various types of sharks: dusky dog ​​shark, Australian nurse shark, great blue shark, sea ​​foxes and katrans. However, such a menu is not typical for most white sharks and is rather an exception.

White sharks will not refuse carrion and are happy to eat the carcasses of dead cetaceans. In the stomachs of predators, various inedible objects are often found, for example, pieces of plastic, wood, and whole glass bottles.

Sometimes great white sharks practice cannibalism uncharacteristic for the species. For example, in the waters of Australia, in front of the eyes of observers, a 6-meter white shark bit its 3-meter relative in half.

With a successful hunt, predators eat up for the future. Thanks to a slow metabolism, only 30 kg of whale blubber is enough for a white shark weighing about a ton for 1.5 months. However, these are purely theoretical calculations, and in practice, predators eat much more, while demonstrating hunting skills honed by millions of years of evolution.

White shark hunting methods

Carcharodons live and hunt alone, but sometimes display social behavior. For example, in the coastal waters of Cape Town, a group of 2-6 individuals is regularly noticed, which behave quite peacefully in a flock.

Observations carried out in the waters of South Africa have proved that within such groups there is a different kind of hierarchy. Females dominate males, large individuals over smaller ones. When meeting, representatives of different groups and singles quickly determine the social position of each other and the alpha leader. Conflicts are usually resolved with warning bites and in most cases end there. However, white sharks always separate before hunting.

Unlike their relatives, white sharks often stick their heads out of the water, catching odors carried through the air. This usually happens when patrolling the archipelagos, where pinnipeds make rookeries.

When the animals are in the water, the white shark starts hunting. Swims towards the victim under the very surface of the water and makes a sharp throw, sometimes half or completely jumping out of the water. Seals or fur seals are grabbed from below across the body, large individuals are dragged to the depths and drowned, then they are torn to pieces and eaten. Small ones are swallowed whole.

In fog and at dawn, the chances of a white shark attacking the first time are 50/50. In case of an unsuccessful attempt, the predator pursues the prey, developing a speed of up to 40 km / h.

Northern elephant seals, which are found in abundance off the coast of California, are bitten from behind by white sharks, immobilizing them. Then they patiently wait for the victim to bleed out and stop resisting.

Dolphins are never approached from the front, eliminating the possibility of detecting danger using echolocation.

If you don't try, you won't know. By this principle, great white sharks determine the edibility of any object, be it a buoy or a person. According to statistics, between 1990 and 2011, there were 139 white shark attacks on humans, of which only 29 were fatal.

Even after the attack, Carcharodons do not deliberately pursue people, the victims are solitary swimmers who die from pain shock. When there is a partner, the wounded can be saved by driving away the predator and leaving the danger zone together.

Only born sharks hunt on their own and do not pose a danger to humans and large animals.

Reproduction of white sharks

The reproductive maturity of white sharks comes late, when the fish reach their maximum size. Females mature at the age of 33, males are ready to breed at 26.

These predators do not survive in captivity, so studies on their mating behavior and reproduction contain extremely scarce information.

Great white sharks are ovoviviparous fish. This means that the fertilized eggs remain in the mother's oviducts. They hatch into embryos that feed on eggs produced by the ovaries. A pregnant female carries on average 5-10 embryos, but theoretically a litter can contain from 2 to 14 cubs. In the early and intermediate stages, the belly of the young is very distended and filled with yolk, and when egg production stops, the fetus digests the nutrient stores.

The exact timing of gestation in white sharks is unknown, but scientists believe that pregnancy lasts more than 12 months. Sharks are born fully developed, 1.2 to 1.5 m long and ready for independent life.

How long does a white shark live

The average lifespan of a great white shark is estimated at 70 years. Studies based on the study of the growth of the vertebrae have made it possible to establish the age of the oldest great white shark. It was a 73 year old male. However, not everyone manages to live to a ripe old age.

Previously, scientists believed that the predator heading the food chain had no natural enemies. But at the end of the last century, there were reports of an attack on white sharks by killer whales of even larger and bloodthirsty predators.

Another enemy of the white shark combed crocodile, able to turn over a large fish and easily tear its throat or belly.

Water pollution, accidental capture and poaching also reduce the already low number of the species. The price of a tooth on the black market is $600-800, and the value of the jaws of a great white shark reaches $20-50 thousand.

Today, predators are protected by law in many countries, such as Australia, South Africa, the US states of Florida and California. By the way, Peter Benchley, the author of the famous novel "Jaws", clearly did not expect the negative consequences of the sensational film adaptation. Therefore, the writer devoted the last 10 years of his life to the study of the ocean ecosystem and actively advocated for the great white sharks.

The great white shark is known to many as the man-eating shark, or carcharodon. This animal belongs to the class of cartilaginous fish and the herring shark family. Today, the population of this species slightly exceeds three thousand individuals, so the great white shark belongs to the category of predatory animals that are on the verge of extinction.

Description and characteristics of the white shark

The length of the largest of all modern predatory sharks is eleven meters or a little more. The most common are individuals with a body length of not more than six meters, and a mass in the range of 650-3000 kg. The back and sides of the white shark have a characteristic gray coloration with slight brownish or black tones. The surface of the ventral part is off-white.

This is interesting! It is known that white sharks existed relatively recently, the body length of which could reach thirty meters. In the mouth of such an individual, living at the end of the Tertiary period, eight adults could freely settle down.

Modern white sharks lead a predominantly solitary lifestyle. Adults can be found not only in the waters of the open ocean, but also along the coastline. As a rule, the shark tries to stay close to the surface, and prefers warm or moderately warm ocean waters. Prey is destroyed by the white shark with the help of very large and wide, triangular teeth. All teeth have jagged edges. Very powerful jaws allow an aquatic predator to bite through not only cartilaginous tissues, but also rather large bones of its prey without much effort. Hungry white sharks are not particularly picky about their food choices.

Features of the morphology of the white shark:

• a large cone-shaped head has a pair of eyes, a pair of nostrils and a fairly large mouth;
• small grooves are located around the nostrils, which increase the speed of water inflow and improve the predator's sense of smell;
• pressure indicators of large jaws reach eighteen thousand newtons;
• teeth arranged in five rows change regularly, but their total number varies within three hundred;
• five gill slits are located behind the predator's head;
• two large pectoral fins and a fleshy anterior dorsal fin. They are supplemented by relatively small second dorsal, ventral and anal fins;
• the fin located in the tail section is large;
• the circulatory system of a predator is well developed and is able to quickly heat up muscle tissues, increasing the speed of movement and improving the mobility of a large body.

This is interesting! The great white shark does not have a swim bladder, therefore it has negative buoyancy, and to prevent sinking to the bottom, the fish must constantly make swimming movements.

A feature of the species is the unusual structure of the eyes, which allows the predator to see prey even in the dark. A special organ of the shark is the lateral line, thanks to which the slightest disturbance of the water is captured even at a distance of one hundred meters or more.

Habitat and distribution in nature

The white shark is found in many coastal waters of the oceans.. This predator is found almost everywhere, except for the Arctic Ocean and beyond the southern coast of Australia and South Africa.

The largest number of individuals hunt in the coastal zone of California, as well as in close proximity to the island of Guadeloupe in Mexico. Also, a small population of the great white shark lives near Italy and Croatia, and off the New Zealand coastline. Here, small flocks are classified as protected species.

A significant number of white sharks have chosen the waters near Dyer Island, which has allowed scientists to successfully conduct numerous Scientific research. Also, fairly large populations of great white sharks were found near the following areas:

• Mauritius;
• Madagascar;
• Kenya;
• Seychelles;
• Australia;
• New Zealand.

In general, the predator is relatively unpretentious in its habitat, so migration is focused on areas with the largest number prey and optimal conditions for reproduction. Epipelagic fish are able to choose coastal marine areas with a large number of fur seals, sea lions, whales and other species of small sharks or large bony fish. Only very large killer whales are capable of resisting this "mistress" of the ocean space.

Lifestyle and behavioral features

The nature of the behavior and social structure of white sharks has not been sufficiently studied at present. It is known for certain that the population living in the waters close to South Africa is characterized by hierarchical dominance in accordance with sex, size and residence of individuals. The dominance of females over males prevails, and the largest individuals over smaller sharks. Conflict situations in the process of hunting are resolved by rituals or demonstrative behavior. Fights between individuals of the same population are certainly possible, but are quite rare. As a rule, sharks of this species in conflicts are limited to not too strong, warning bites.

A distinctive feature of the white shark is the ability to periodically raise its head above the water surface in the process of hunting and searching for prey. According to scientists, in this way the shark manages to capture smells well even at a considerable distance.

This is interesting! Predators enter the waters of the coastal zone, as a rule, in stable or long-established groups, including from two to six individuals, which is similar to a wolf pack. Each such group has a so-called alpha leader, and the rest of the individuals within the "pack" have a clearly defined status in accordance with the hierarchy.

Great white sharks are quite well developed mental faculties and ingenuity, which allows you to find food in almost any, even the most difficult conditions.

Feeding an aquatic predator

Young carcharadons, as the main diet, use medium-sized bony fish, small-sized marine animals and medium-sized mammals. Sufficiently grown and fully formed great white sharks expand their diet at the expense of larger prey, which can be seals, sea lions, as well as big fish. Adult carcharadons will not refuse such prey as smaller species of sharks, cephalopods and other most nutritious marine life.

For successful hunting, great white sharks use a peculiar body color. A. The light coloring makes the shark almost invisible among underwater rocky places, which makes it very easy for it to track down its prey. Especially interesting is the moment of the attack of the great white shark. Due to the high body temperature, the predator is able to develop quite a decent speed, and good strategic abilities allow carcharadons to use win-win tactics when hunting aquatic inhabitants.

Important! With a massive body, very powerful jaws and sharp teeth, the great white shark has almost no competitors among aquatic predators and is capable of hunting almost any prey.

The main food addictions of the great white shark are represented by seals and other marine animals, including dolphins and small species of whales. Eating a significant amount of fatty foods allows this predator to maintain an optimal energy balance. The heating of muscle mass by the circulatory system requires a diet represented by high-calorie foods.

Of particular interest is the carcharodon seal hunting. Gliding horizontally in the water column, the white shark pretends not to notice the animal floating on the surface, but as soon as the seal loses its vigilance, the shark attacks the prey, jumping out of the water abruptly and almost at lightning speed. When hunting for, the great white shark ambushes and attacks from behind, which does not allow the dolphin to use its unique ability - echo location.

The white shark is the largest modern predatory fish known as the great white shark and man-eating shark.

The great white shark is well known for its size - it is known that the largest representatives species reached or even exceeded 6 meters in length and weighed up to 2268 kg. (LITHIUM112 on deviantART)

The white shark reaches sexual maturity at the age of 15 years, and the average life expectancy of sharks is 30 years. (TERRY GOSS)

The largest specimens of the white shark are considered to be: a 6.9 m long shark, caught in southern Australian waters near Port Fairy in the 1870s, and a 7.3 m long shark caught in a herring trap near a dam in New Brunswick, Canada in 1930. Reports of specimens being caught as long as 7.5 meters were common, but the above measurements remained record-breaking. (VENSON KUCHIPUDI)

Video: Great White Shark (Carcharodon)

First scientific name Squalus carcharias, gave the white shark Carl Linnaeus in 1758. (VENSON KUCHIPUDI)

Great white sharks live in almost all coastal waters, where temperatures range from 12 to 24°C. (SHARKDIVER.COM)

Large populations are found off the coast of the United States, South Africa, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and the Mediterranean Sea. (SCOTT RETTIG)

The white shark first attacks horizontally on seals, like fish, but then changes its habit and attacks from below, so that the prey does not notice it until the last. (OCEANFILMFEST)

Studies have shown that white sharks make not only regular movements along the coast, but also transoceanic transitions, returning to the same places. Moreover, both females and males migrate. (VENSON KUCHIPUDI)

Great white sharks have a protective coloration: the belly is light, and the dorsal fin is gray (sometimes brown or bluish). (GEORGE PROBST)

This coloring allows you to confuse prey, because from the side it blurs the silhouette of a predator. (VENSON KUCHIPUDI)

From above, a darker shade blends with the sea, and from below, the silhouette appears small against the background of the sun penetrating the water. (D.J. SCHUESSLER)

White sharks are predators, they feed mainly on fish (tuna, rays, other sharks), cetaceans (dolphins, porpoises, whales), pinnipeds (seals, fur seals, sea ​​lions), turtles, otters, and even seabirds. (SPENCER LATTIMER)

Little is known about the great white shark in terms of its behavior during the mating season. (GEORGE PROBST)

Scientists have never seen the process of giving birth to cubs, although pregnant females have been studied more than once. (GEORGE PROBST)

White sharks are viviparous fish (i.e. eggs develop and hatch in the uterus and continue to develop until birth). It is likely that white sharks reproduce every two years, but this fact has not been proven. (GREAT WHITE SHARK DIVING)

The gestation period for white sharks is 11 months. The powerful jaws of the cub begin to flutter in the first month. (PIXELEATER on deviantART)

Video: The largest shark weighs about 2 tons

Unborn sharks are cannibals: stronger cubs eat weak ones right in the womb. Birth occurs in spring or summer. (PATRIC DOUGLAS / SHARKDIVER.COM)

Although the white shark is considered a predator of the highest order (i.e. they have no enemies in their own form), sometimes, albeit very rarely, they can be preyed upon by a larger killer whale. (VENSON KUCHIPUDI)

Mutual competition between white shark and killer whale can occur in areas where their food preferences overlap. (VENSON KUCHIPUDI)

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GuruAnimal.ru » Fish » Interesting facts about the white shark (lat. Carcharodon carcharias)

Sharks and the halo of their habitat

Sharks, despite misconceptions, are very smart and funny. cartilaginous fish who are not alien to feelings such as curiosity or playfulness. Perhaps because of this, sharks settled aquatic environment so tight. They have at their disposal not only the oceans, but even some lakes and rivers. Natural halo of habitation and habits different types absolutely different.

habitats

Approximately 460 species of various sharks live in the world's oceans. Among them, only 45 species are dangerous to humans, others are no more dangerous than pike. Considering the most big ocean- Quiet, it can immediately be noted that its waters store many dangerous and predatory sharks, including leopard, lemon and hammerhead fish. The most dangerous resorts in the Pacific Ocean:

• Brisbane is an Australian city located on the coast of the Coral Sea;
• Bolines Beach - California;
• Oahu and Maui are the Hawaiian Islands.

The Atlantic Ocean is not so densely populated by sharks, but those that live there are especially dangerous. The least safe places are considered to be the Bahamas, Recife in Brazil and Florida's New Smyrna Beach. Indian Ocean holds the record for the number and bloodthirstiness of sharks. In addition, their habitat halo extends to many resorts in Australia, as well as Oceania. The African coast of the ocean is also hardly safe.

Recent Entries

The most dangerous places: Cosi Bay (South Africa) and the Seychelles.

The most interesting ocean rightfully becomes the Arctic, as its waters are home to a huge number of cold-resistant sharks, interesting for their behavior and habits. The most interesting thing is that among the huge sharks of the "cold waters", only one species is recognized as dangerous.

Environmental summary

Sharks are inherently very peaceful and calm. Their natural diet includes fish with a high concentration of fat. Therefore, despite the point of view of many creepy films and books, sharks only bite off pieces from a person, but in almost 95% of cases they spit out meat, some types of jellyfish and snakes kill more people.

The only dangerous enemy of the shark, today, is a man. In addition to the fact that researchers were mistaken in believing that shark cartilage cures cancer, shark has also become a delicacy in many countries. Also, most civilized countries keep from 3 to 20 sharks in captivity, not counting frequent collections.

Morina Marina: other works.

Carcharodon Karharias

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- Glory! You are walking? Kirill shouted, the last of his classmates to get out of the pool. Slava was in no hurry to get out. In a month, the summer holidays will begin, and he will go to his grandmother. Grandma has a lake next to her house. And all the children swim in the lake ... but not him. The most shameful secret of Glory was that he was afraid to swim. He didn't like it to the point of shivering when his feet didn't touch the bottom. It seemed that now something would definitely grab the leg, carelessly floundering in the water. Something toothy. Huge. A shark... Slava knew a lot about sharks, if not everything, then a lot for a ten-year-old boy. I got carried away with them when I looked at the first Jaws, a terrible antiquity, but still scary. Then the second and third. Both "Open Seas". Jaws 3D. To be honest, even the absurd “Shark Tsunami” and the Discovery broadcasts, which showed sharks as almost playful dolphins that never attack people unless provoked, unnerved the boy to the core, making his heart stop at every appearance of a triangular fin in the frame. Another thing is that Slava would rather die than admit it honestly. He was afraid, but he watched with clenched teeth. He read that you need to face your fear. That's what he looked at. And in just a month, in a miserable four weeks, he will either have to swim in the lake like other children, or be subjected to endless ridicule, as was the case last summer. No, the well-read Slavik, of course, knew that there were no sharks in the lakes. Except for the bull sharks that have chosen Lake Nicaragua. But who guarantees that bull sharks, the most dangerous for humans, by the way, will not swim along some rivers and reach grandmother's lake ?! Did they catch a shark in the Gulf of Finland a few years ago? He read! And the dacha is in the Leningrad region, and the lake is connected with the Gulf of Finland by a network of rivers. Slava called himself paranoid. Then a coward. Then a pathetic, described rag. The latter worked, and with a deep sigh, the boy made up his mind. He will swim the entire length of the pool, without touching the bottom, back and forth. And then get out and run to the shower. If you're lucky, he won't even be late for literature. Literature was taught by Slava's most disliked teacher, Olga Maksimovna. The whole class did not like her for her constant grumbling and nit-picking, but she hated Slava on purpose. Glory knew. It was impossible to pull longer, the boy pushed off the wall of the pool and swam. All his sensations were concentrated in his legs. Right now ... now sharp teeth will close on the ankle ... Quiet! It's just a pool! That's where, where, and in the school pool, you definitely won't be able to meet a shark. It's not a pool like Jaws that connected to the sea, right? It connects only to the water supply, and, whatever one may say, no shark will swim through it. Oh, well, except for the cigars. Slava vividly recalled the scene from Jaws 3D, where cigar sharks, no worse than piranhas, ate one brunette. In time, yes, you will not say anything. A chill passed over her skin, but the recollection noticeably added speed to Slava. And then the hair under the swim cap began to stir for real. Slava was not alone in the pool. A huge shadow glided slowly, smoothly along the next path towards him. Painfully familiar triangular fin Choyoyoert rose menacingly above the water! The fish was at least four meters long! In a panic, Slava went under the water, and then desperately pounded the water with his hands and feet, striving for the stairs. The spray attracted a shark, which abruptly rushed towards him, going into the depths. Slava knew what that meant... an attack. There were two meters to the stairs. Before the shark - no more than three. Slava flew out of the pool like a bullet. The shark jumped out of the water, showing a snow-white belly against the background of gray sides and back. Monstrous jaws snapped in the air. Warm trickles flowed down Slava's legs, but right now he was not even up to his shame. He watched as the shark arched into highest point of its flight, falls back into the pool, right on the separating rope between the lanes, and slowly sinks under the water, dissolving in the depths ... When the spray dissipated, the pool was a pool again. Small paddling pool, two meters in the deepest place... Of course, there was no shark there. There couldn't be any shark! But someone broke the fence, right? Plastic rings were scattered all over the pool, even part of it flew off to the floor. Slavik on stiff legs went to the shower. As you wish. He won't go to gym again. He will scream, throw tantrums, cry like a first grader if he has to. He will not be afraid even of the formidable physical instructor Anton Anatolyevich. But they won't put him in the pool. And the lake too. And he hardly ever decides to take a bath. There is a shower. The stress he experienced made the boy somewhat inhibited. There was not a single thought in his head, he moved mechanically, with difficulty controlling his own arms and legs. Of course, he was late for literature. The lips still felt alien, numb. Slava did not apologize or ask if he could come in. Just went to your place. Of course, Olga Maksimovna could not stand such a thing. - Dolokhov, how to understand this ?! Glory raised a half-mad look at her. The teacher did not seem to notice either the boy's dilated pupils or the slight tremor that pounded him. “Explain to me—and to the class—what has been holding you back?” “Shark,” Slava moved his naughty lips. — In the pool… — What?!

Why is the white shark famous?

- the teacher disgustedly opened her mouth, from which her deep nasolabial folds were more clearly identified, and looked at Slava with a mixture of pity and disgust. - What kind of shark is that? - Carcharadon Karharias, great white shark. About four meters. A male, Slava answered mechanically. — He tore the railing in the pool. Look if you don't believe me. The class laughed for some reason. Slava didn't see anything funny. “I’ll talk to Anton Anatolyevich at recess,” the teacher promised, pursing her lips no less disgustingly. However, according to Slava, any expression on her face seemed absolutely equally disgusting. Give me your diary. I will write a note to my parents. Slava obediently carried the diary to the teacher's table. “Now sit down, you have already taken enough time from the class,” ordered Olga Maksimovna. Slava sat silently. Even under the threat of terrible torture, he could not say what was discussed in that lesson. Before his eyes, there was a relentless picture of a powerful giant fish, a real monster flying out of the water and snapping its jaws. The shark was about a meter away from him. He saw her pointed scales, saw the scars on her dorsal fin. I saw creepy round eyes, perfect for this killing machine. I saw how the eyes covered with blinking membranes, defending themselves against the attack. Slava knew that he had seen a shark. And he saw her in the pool. No one could convince him otherwise. The next recess and history lesson passed in a blur. And then Anton Anatolyevich caught him in the corridor. As soon as he saw Slava, he began to shout, calling him a bully and a moron. He finished with a demand to invite parents to the school. And he wrote another note in his diary. Slava used to be honest with his parents. They are not psychotic Olga Maksimovna. They always took his side, often defending himself in front of teachers. It turned out that this time honesty was not the best policy. They didn't believe him! The more Slava argued, proving what he had seen, the more worried glances the parents exchanged with each other. It all ended with the fact that twice a week after school he began to meet with a psychologist. It is not clear how they learned about this in the class, but "Psycho" and "Shizik" became Slava's second name very soon. One might even say first. Now no one called him glory. Even the once best friend Cyril. And on summer holidays nothing has been forgotten. In the summer, Slava went to his grandmother, but did not go to the lake. He didn't even like sitting on the beach. Too close to water. And Slava now knew for sure that no water is safe. The ridicule of other children was deeply indifferent to him. Slava became isolated and went deeper into himself every day. And in the winter, just before the New Year holidays, an emergency happened at the school. Fizruk Anton Anatolyevich suddenly went crazy and with incredible cruelty tore to pieces two third-grader girls who were additionally engaged in the pool. The teacher who discovered them fainted. All the water was pink with blood, pieces of meat floated on the surface. At least that's what the rumors were. Then Anton Anatolyevich was seen at school, he came to pick up the documents. There were already other rumors that he was released for lack of evidence of guilt. Slava then approached the coach when he was smoking on the porch, and silently stood next to him. Did you see it too? he only asked. - Shark. Anton Anatolyevich recoiled from the boy, threw away his freshly lit cigarette, and walked away. Glory shrugged. He did not want new meetings with a psychologist, which means that it was better to remain silent. He just knew he was right. There are sharks here too. They are found anywhere. Contact the site programmer.

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Few people know that the fear of sharks is far-fetched. A person feeds his fears from the myths and stories of other people, they make you believe that the shark is a terrible predator from which there is no escape.

Let's try to find out how fast these inhabitants of the deep sea are, and are they all the same in speed and danger?

Imagine the most common shark. What picture popped up in front of your eyes? Right! Large sizes a fish with razor-sharp teeth that are covered in fresh blood from a freshly eaten innocent animal. However, now you will understand how wrong you were.

Turtle shark hunting

As you already understood, sharks are all different. Not everyone needs to get food high speed. Some species of sharks feed only on plankton and small fish that drift quietly in the ocean, and no high speed is required to catch them.

And there are those who prefer not to swim in the upper layers of the oceans at all, they are much more pleasant at the bottom, under tons of water, and there, as you know, you won’t gain much speed.

Of course, there are several types of sharks that are still able to track down their prey. However, they rarely do this. Some have even learned to “walk” on the seabed using their pectoral fins.

mako shark speed

This species of shark lives only in tropical and calm waters.

Great white shark. Lifestyle and habitat of the great white shark

The mako shark is classified as aggressive and can even attack people. While catching their lunch, the fish can reach speeds of up to 60 km / h. In just 2 seconds, the shark can accelerate from 0 km/h to 50 km/h.

Black shark speed

The chances of a black shark attacking a human are very small, as this species of shark lives too deep. This species is poached for its meat, fat, and large liver. The black shark's diet consists of rays, bony fish, sharks, and crustaceans. By and large, these sharks do not hunt for their victims, they quietly wait in ambush, and when the right moment is given, they attack.

white shark

» Fish » White shark

Where does the great white shark live?

White sharks are excellent at adapting to different conditions environment. They are distributed throughout the oceans, but stick to areas with a temperate climate. But sometimes they can be seen in the tropics and off the coast of Alaska. In the world there are small places of congestion of white sharks, where regularly, from year to year, meet predators. These are the coastal waters of Australia, New Zealand, California and Baja California, South Africa and the Mediterranean.

How to find out

For centuries, the white shark has been considered one of the most ferocious and bloodthirsty predators on Earth, and for good reason. It can reach a length of 6 m and a mass of up to 3 tons. In 1930, in Canadian province New Brunswick caught the largest white shark, which was even included in the Guinness Book of Records. Its body length was 7.3 m. White shark females are usually larger and more massive than males. The shark has a strong torpedo-shaped body, a large conical head, and pointed fins.

The body of these sharks is white only from below. The upper part is unevenly colored in grayish-brown or grayish-blue tones. Such protective coloration well hides the animal in sea ​​water making it invisible to predators. Like other members of the families, the white shark has three rows of teeth with which it wields like a saw.

Great white shark (Carcharodon). Photo and video of a great white shark.

All of them are serrated and help her to quickly tear off pieces of flesh from her prey.

Lifestyle and biology

Most often they go hunting in a pack, but they often hunt alone. The basis of the diet of a young white shark is small fish. However, as they grow older, taste preferences change, and adults begin to prey on seals and other animals that lead a marine lifestyle. In order to support constant temperature body, the shark needs a lot of high-calorie food. Therefore, it is seals and fur seals, with their abundant reserves of adipose tissue, that are the best option.

White sharks are viviparous. Males begin breeding at the age of eight years, when their body length reaches at least 3.5 m. Females - at 12 years old, and their body should increase to 4.5 m. Scientists have not yet been able to reliably establish many aspects of the biology of reproduction of the species. At the same time, from 5 to 10 fry can be born, the body length of which ranges from 120 to 150 cm. During the maturation period, which supposedly lasts about a year, the embryos eat unfertilized eggs in the mother's womb. Thus, they maintain their vitality and get the opportunity for full development.

The average lifespan of a white shark is 30 years.

Listed in the Red Book

According to scientists, today there are no more than 3.5 thousand white sharks left on Earth. The species is the only surviving member of the genus Carcharodon. The decline in the world population began in the 1970s. Previously, for many decades, white sharks were hunted for their jaws, teeth and fins, and also simply exterminated, considering them the most dangerous predators and enemies of man. Another one of possible causes the fact that today the species is listed in the International Red Book is a long period of maturation and puberty. Before puberty, sharks themselves are exposed to a large number of dangers, become the prey of larger predators and often die. The species was included in the list of protected animals relatively recently, in the 2000s. However, now around the world there is a ban on the destruction of white sharks. Those who violate it are in serious trouble. For example, in New Zealand, a poacher who dares to kill a great white shark will be severely punished. The maximum fine that he will be required to pay will be $250,000, and the preventive measure will be six months in prison.

The white shark is one of largest predators among the fish. However, despite the bloodthirsty image of a man-eating shark presented in Steven Spielberg's cult film Jaws, in reality, white predators rarely attack people purposefully. Most likely, they attack a person, mistaking him for a seal. Feeling that the prey is not fat enough, the shark releases the prey. But sharks hunt in packs, and perhaps every member will want to make sure that this is not a seal. However, just one bite from a sharp-toothed predator can be fatal. At the same time, such an extreme form of recreation as swimming with sharks is becoming increasingly popular in the world.

Photo of white shark

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Since the time when a person decided to explore the expanses of the ocean, he considers the shark enemy number one. Real stories about these monsters are closely intertwined with fantasy, sharks are surrounded by a halo of ominous mystery. Merciless killers - that's what kind of reputation was attached to the whole shark family.
There are about 350 species of sharks, but less than half of them are involved in crimes against people. In third place in the list of cannibal sharks is the hammerhead shark, the second is the tiger shark, and the great white shark is in the lead. There is no equal in strength and bloodthirstiness to this "queen of the oceans."

It is found in moderate warm waters North Atlantic, North Pacific, and off the coast of Argentina, the Falkland Islands, South Africa, South Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, Chile, Peru and Ecuador. They are usually found near the sea surface only in spring and summer, that is, when the water is richest in planktonic food.
The body of the white shark is cigar-shaped. The large symmetrical caudal fin consists of a greatly enlarged upper lobe and a small lower lobe. The pectoral fins are large, they serve to support the front of the body, which, in their absence, would inevitably sink down when swimming.
How often do they attack people? Optimists argue that the likelihood of being killed by lightning or crushed by a car is much higher than the likelihood of being hit by a shark. However, despite this, dozens of people die from shark teeth every year. Official statistics claim that from 30 to 200 people die every year from this predator. What about unofficial? How many people who are considered missing after shipwrecks fall into the jaws of sharks?
Sharks attack people not only in the ocean, but also near the shore, in shallow water. They attack their prey regardless of the weather. They can attack in calm weather and in a storm, in clear sunshine or in heavy rain.
If the constant food of the shark - fish or lobsters - disappear for some reason, then the shark, blinded by hunger, attacks anyone, be it a man or even a sperm whale. In principle, the shark eats relatively little, but its promiscuity in food is simply amazing. What was not found in shark stomachs: tin cans, boots, hand grenades, horseshoes. And once in the belly of a shark they found a native drum weighing about 7 kg.

Nature has endowed sharks with the perfect tool for killing. The jaws, seated at the edges with pointed teeth, have tremendous strength.

Great white shark: characteristics and range

In the mouth, there are up to a hundred teeth arranged in several rows. As soon as the front teeth fall out, they are immediately replaced by the back ones.

Biologists managed to measure the force with which the shark squeezes its jaws: this is, no less than hundreds of kilograms! She can easily tear off a person’s leg, or even bite the body in half. When attacking, the shark first plunges its lower teeth, impaling its prey as if on a fork. The upper jaws begin to shred the body at this time. That's why so many deaths when meeting people with a shark.
It is also difficult to hide from the shark because it perfectly smells its prey, recognizing smells at a great distance. An important role in hunting and vision. True, sharks are pretty shortsighted. However, the closer to the victim, the more the value of this sense organ grows. For 3-4 meters, it is the eyes that guide the further actions of the shark.
Much in the behavior of sharks remains incomprehensible. Either she can swim past a bloodied man, or she rushes to attack an armed scuba diver. It seems that sometimes sharks fall into some kind of food frenzy and, in a blind rage, pounce on any object that gets in its way. But in general, the shark is very cautious. Having met an unfamiliar object, she will first circle around for a long time, finding out whether it is dangerous or not. The shark can stab its prey with its nose, checking again if it is edible. Only after these precautions does she rush to the prey. The pectoral fins are lowered, the nose is slightly raised, the back is hunched. A jerk - and the victim is already in the teeth of a shark.


Sophisticated scientific studies have shown that abusing human fishing leads to a decrease in the amount of food for sharks, and the lack of food is the main reason for them. aggressive behavior towards swimmers and surfers. The number of collisions is increasing due to the fact that more people go to the open sea, ignoring the warnings of the authorities, and enter into shark habitats, which leads to skirmishes and collisions with animals. The data shows that 6 out of 10 attacks are provoked by people. For example, emboldened scuba divers are increasingly trying to touch the shark. Very often there are attacks on fishermen who are trying to pull out the shark they have caught.
Well, how do you get out alive from a fight with a shark? Here are some real life examples. Richard Watley, who was swimming, was attacked by a shark in mid-June 2005 in Alabama. He was almost 100 meters from the shore when he felt a strong jolt in his thigh. He realized it was a shark and tried to escape. A second later, the shark received a powerful punch in the nose - everything that Richard was capable of, he put into this blow. Having sent the predator into a knockdown, Richard rushed with all his might to the saving shore. But the shark quickly recovered and continued to attack. However, each of her attempts to attack ended in failure: blows to the nose followed one after another, until Richard finally crawled ashore safe and sound. Incidentally, this was the first recorded shark attack on a human in Alabama in 25 years.
So what? Powerful right hook in the nose of a shark - effective remedy protection? In this case, of course, the person survived, but in most cases, such blows will only annoy the shark, so if you see a shark, then you better freeze and wait for help.
Yes, so far the shark is the number one enemy in the water for humans. But I would like to hope that in the near future a person will invent some kind of remedy against the attack of these bloodthirsty predators. Then, perhaps, a person’s fear of this fish will dissipate and he will appreciate these formidable hunters of our planet.

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