04.03.2020

White shark. Flight of a great white shark. Stunning Photos of Fossil White Shark

Original taken from masterok in Flight of the Great White Shark

What have we already read about sharks:

Now let's study probably the most famous and bloodthirsty shark.

Big White shark(lat. Carcharodon carcharias) - also known as the white shark, white death, man-eating shark, carcharodon - an exceptionally large predatory fish found in the surface coastal waters of all oceans of the Earth except the Arctic.

This predator owes its name to the white color of the abdominal part of the body, separated by a broken border on the sides from the dark back. Reaching a length of over 7 meters and a mass of over 3000 kg, the great white shark is the largest modern predatory fish (excluding whale and basking shark, feeding on plankton).

In addition to its very large size, the great white shark has also acquired a notorious reputation as a merciless cannibal due to numerous attacks on swimmers, divers and surfers. A person has much less chance of surviving an attack by a man-eating shark than under the wheels of a truck. A powerful moving body, a huge mouth armed with sharp teeth and a passion for satisfying the hunger of this predator will leave the victim no hope of salvation if the shark is determined to profit from human flesh.

The great white shark is the only surviving species of its genus Carcharodon.
It is on the verge of extinction - there are only about 3,500 specimens left on Earth.

The first scientific name, Squalus carcharias, was given to the great white shark by Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
Zoologist E. Smith in 1833 assigned the generic name Carcharodon (Greek karcharos sharp + Greek odous - tooth). The final modern scientific name of the species came into being in 1873, when the Linnaean species name was combined with the genus name under one term, Carcharodon carcharias.

The great white belongs to the herring shark family (Lamnidae), which includes four other species of marine predators: the mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus), the longfin mako shark (Longfin mako), the Pacific salmon shark (Lamna ditropis) and the Atlantic herring shark (Lamna nasus).

The similarity in the structure and shape of the teeth, as well as the large size of the great white shark and the prehistoric megalodon, has led most scientists to consider them closely related species. This assumption is reflected in the scientific name of the latter - Carcharodon megalodon.

Currently, some scientists have expressed doubts about the close relationship of Carcharadon and Megalodon, considering them to be distant relatives belonging to the family of herring sharks, but not so closely related. Recent research suggests that the white shark is closer to the mako shark than to the megalodon. According to the theory put forward, the true ancestor of the great white shark is Isurus hastalis, while megalodons are directly related to sharks of the species Carcharocle. According to the same theory, Otodus obliquus is considered a representative of the ancient extinct branch of Carcharocles megalodon olnius.

Fossil tooth

The great white shark lives in coastal waters around the world continental shelf, the temperature of which ranges from 12 to 24 degrees C. In colder waters, great white sharks are almost never found. They also do not live in desalinated and slightly salted seas. For example, they were not found in our Black Sea, which is too fresh for them. In addition, there is not enough food in the Black Sea for such a large predator as the great white shark.

In the south they are not found further than the southern coast of Australia and the coast of South Africa. Great white sharks are most likely to be found off the coast of California, near the Mexican island of Guadalupe. Individual populations live in the central part of the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas (Italy, Croatia), off the coast of New Zealand, where they are protected species.

Great white sharks often swim in small schools.

One of the most significant populations has chosen Dyer Island (South Africa), which is the site of numerous scientific studies of this species of shark. Great white sharks are relatively common in the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Mauritius, Madagascar, Kenya and near the Seychelles. Large populations persist off the coasts of California, Australia and New Zealand.

Carcharodons are epipelagic fish, their appearance is usually observed and recorded in coastal seas, abundant in prey such as seals, sea lions, whales, where other sharks and large bony fish live.
The great white shark is nicknamed the mistress of the ocean, since no one can compare with it in the power of attacks among other fish and sea inhabitants. Only the large killer whale terrifies Carcharodon.
Great white sharks are capable of long-distance migrations and can descend to considerable depths: these sharks have been recorded at depths of almost 1300 m.

Recent research has shown that great white sharks migrate between Baja California, Mexico, and a spot near Hawaii known as the White Shark Cafe, where they spend at least 100 days a year before migrating back to Baja California. Along the way, they swim slowly and dive to a depth of approximately 900 m. After arriving at the coast, they change behavior. Dives are reduced to 300 m and last up to 10 minutes.

White shark tagged offshore South Africa, showed the migration routes to the southern coast of Australia and back, which it made every year. Researchers have found that a great white shark completes this route in less than 9 months. The entire length of the migration route is about 20 thousand km in both directions.
These studies refuted traditional theories, according to which the white shark was considered an exclusively coastal predator.

Interactions have been established between different populations of white sharks, which were previously considered separate from each other.

The purposes and reasons why the white shark migrates are still unknown. There are suggestions that migrations are caused by the seasonal nature of hunting or mating games.

ate a great white shark with a spindle-shaped, streamlined shape, like most sharks - active predators. A large, conical head with medium-sized eyes located on it and a pair of nostrils, to which small grooves lead, increasing the flow of water to the shark’s olfactory receptors.

The mouth is very wide, armed with sharp, triangular-shaped teeth with serrations on the sides. With such teeth, like an ax, the shark easily cuts off pieces of flesh from its prey. The number of teeth in a great white shark, like in a tiger shark, is 280-300. They are located in several rows (usually 5). A complete change of the first row of teeth in young individuals of great white sharks occurs on average once every three months, in adults - once every eight months, i.e. The younger the sharks, the more often they change their teeth.

Behind the head there are gill slits - five on each side.

The body coloration of great white sharks is typical of fish that swim in the water column. The ventral side is lighter, usually off-white, the dorsal side is darker - gray, with shades of blue, brown or green. This color makes the predator unnoticeable in the water column and allows it to hunt for prey more efficiently.

Large and fleshy anterior dorsal fin and two pectoral fins. The ventral, second dorsal and anal fins are smaller. The plumage ends with a large caudal fin, both blades of which, like all salmon sharks, are approximately the same size.

Among the features of the anatomical structure, it should be noted that great white sharks have a highly developed circulatory system, which allows them to warm up their muscles, thereby achieving high mobility of the shark in the water.
Like all sharks, great whites lack a swim bladder, requiring them to constantly move to avoid drowning. However, it should be noted that sharks do not feel any particular inconvenience from this. For millions of years they managed without a bubble and did not suffer from it at all.

The usual size of an adult great white shark is 4-5.2 meters and weighs 700-1000 kg.

Females are usually larger than males. The maximum size of a white shark is about 8 m and weighs more than 3500 kg.
It should be noted that maximum size The white shark is a hotly debated topic. Some zoologists and shark specialists believe that the great white shark can reach significant sizes - more than 10 or even 12 meters in length.

For several decades, many scientific works on ichthyology, as well as the Book of Records, named two individuals as the largest great white sharks ever caught: a great white shark 10.9 m long, caught in southern Australian waters near Port Fairy in 1870- 1950s, and a 11.3 m long great white shark caught in a herring trap at a dam in New Brunswick, Canada in 1930. Reports of the capture of specimens 6.5-7 meters long were common, but the above sizes remained a record for a long time.

Some researchers have questioned the reliability of the size measurements of these sharks in both cases. The reason for this doubt is the large difference between the sizes of record specimens and all other sizes of large great white sharks obtained by precise measurements. The New Brunswick shark may have been a basking shark rather than a great white, as both sharks have a similar body shape. Since the fact of catching this shark and its measurement was recorded not by ichthyologists, but by fishermen, such an error could well have occurred. The question of the size of the Port Fairy shark was clarified in the 1970s when shark expert D. I. Reynolds studied the jaws of this great white shark.

Based on the size of the teeth and jaws, he determined that the Porta Fairy shark was no more than 6 meters in length. Apparently, an error in measuring the size of this shark was made in order to obtain a sensation.

Scientists determined the size of the largest specimen, the length of which was reliably measured, to be 6.4 meters. This great white shark was caught in Cuban waters in 1945, measured by experts and documented. However, in this case, there were experts who claim that the shark was actually several feet shorter. The unconfirmed weight of this Cuban shark was 3270 kg.

Young carcharadons feed on small bony fish, small marine animals and mammals. Grown-up great white sharks include larger prey in their diet - seals, sea lions, large fish, including smaller sharks, cephalopods and other more nutritious marine life. Whale carcasses are not ignored.

Their light coloration makes them less noticeable against the background of underwater rocks when they are stalking prey.
The high body temperature inherent in all herring sharks allows them to develop higher speed when attacking, and also stimulates brain activity, as a result of which great white sharks sometimes use cunning tactics during the hunt.

If we add to this a massive body, powerful jaws with strong and sharp teeth, then we can understand that great white sharks can handle any prey.

Great white sharks' food preferences include seals and other marine animals, including dolphins and small whales. These predators need fatty animal foods to maintain energy balance in the body. The system for heating muscle tissue with blood in great white sharks requires high-calorie food. And warm muscles provide high mobility to the shark’s body.

The tactics of hunting seals by the great white shark are curious. At first, it slides horizontally through the water, as if not noticing the tasty prey floating on the surface, then, approaching the victim closer, it abruptly changes the direction of movement upward and attacks it. Sometimes great white sharks even jump several meters out of the water at the moment of attack.

Often, carcharodon does not kill the seal immediately, but by hitting it from below with its head or slightly biting it, it throws it up above the water. Then it returns to the wounded victim and eats it.

If we take into account the passion of great white sharks for fatty food in the form of small marine mammals, then the reason for most shark attacks on people in the water becomes clear. Swimmers and, especially, surfers, when viewed from the depths, surprisingly resemble in their movements the prey familiar to great white sharks. This can explain the well-known fact that, often, a great white shark bites a swimmer and, realizing the mistake, leaves him, swimming away in disappointment. Human bones cannot be compared with seal fat.

You can watch a film about the great white shark and its hunting habits.

There are still many questions and mysteries about the reproduction of great white sharks. No one got to watch them mate and the female give birth to her young. Great white sharks are ovoviviparous fish, like most sharks.

The female's pregnancy lasts about 11 months, after which one or two cubs are born. Great white sharks are characterized by so-called intrauterine cannibalism, when more developed and stronger sharks eat their weaker brothers and sisters while still in the womb.

Newborns are equipped with teeth and everything they need to get started. active life as predators.
Young sharks grow quite slowly and reach sexual maturity at approximately 12-15 years of age. It is precisely the low fertility of great white sharks and the long puberty served as the reason for the gradual decrease in the population of these predators in the World Ocean.

The white shark, or Carcharodon carcharias, is the largest predator of modern sharks. The only surviving species from the Carcharodon genus is the “white death”, which alone deserves respect. This sharp-toothed monster leaves no chance of salvation for anyone. Carcharodon prefers the coastal waters of the continental plume, where the temperature is higher. However, for some populations one of the habitat regions is the Mediterranean Sea. Although, it would seem, this particular sea is considered one of the safest in terms of attacks on people by man-eating sharks. Should we be afraid of white sharks in the Mediterranean and how do predators behave in these warm waters?
Let's figure it out.

The Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic through strait of Gibraltar. So, according to the latest information, the number of “indigenous” populations of white sharks has decreased threefold here. Unregulated smuggling of carcharodon, as a source of delicious products - fins, fat, liver, as well as an expensive souvenir - jaws, has led to the fact that white sharks in the Mediterranean Sea are on the verge of extinction. This can lead to catastrophic changes in the entire aquatic system, since it is this species that plays the role of police officers in the underwater state.
But nature took care of its toothy crumbs. Right now, cases of migration of man-eating sharks from the Atlantic have become more frequent - albeit slowly, but they are restoring their numbers.

Should you be afraid of encountering great white sharks in the Mediterranean? It turns out that humans are not the most desirable prey for Carcharodon. Our bodies are too sinewy and too bony to satisfy the great white shark's appetite, so instead of homo sapiens, white sharks prefer fatty tuna. Throughout history, only a few cases of attacks by bloodthirsty killers directly in the Mediterranean Sea have been recorded, and even those were provoked by people.

The most common victims of white sharks are sport fishermen and divers who dare to swim too close to the predator. It is interesting that it was in the Mediterranean that the “shark phenomenon” was registered - if Carcharodon attacked a person, it did not tear it apart, as happens in other oceans, but, having tried to bite and realizing that it was not very appetizing food, let go and swam away.

Perhaps this behavior of great white sharks is related to ecology, or perhaps the reason is the food richness of local waters - there are a lot of fish in the Mediterranean Sea, including 45 species of sharks, almost all of them are potential prey for Carcharodon. Therefore, having felt the unusual taste of human flesh, Carcharodon often refuses to eat it.

However, there is an opinion among experts that a great white shark can take the path of cannibalism by tasting the taste of human flesh during periods of famine. However, the same can be said about other active predators from the shark community.

Interestingly, the last 3 years have been characterized by an increase in encounters between Carcharodon and humans in the coastal Mediterranean waters. Usually these fastidious sharks do not swim close to the coasts, preferring more clear waters, however, beaches are now increasingly being closed due to the appearance of white sharks. Thus, vacationers on the beaches of the Cote d'Azur and Levantine coasts, resorts in Spain, Turkey and Montenegro were evacuated. This does not mean that the beaches were attacked by white-bellied predators, no, the sharks simply swam closer to the shores than 100 meters. In some cases, great white sharks have simply been confused with dolphins.

Fears of the great white shark in the Mediterranean are stimulated by the mass of films about killer sharks, as well as isolated cases of attacks, which immediately become the subject of sensational hype in the media, often describing the events in unrealistic colors.

Thus, the whole world went around the shocking news about the death of the cult Italian director from the teeth of a carcharodon, which occurred off the coast of Cyprus. However, no one said that the man decided to try his hand at the now popular sport fishing. Trying to catch a great white shark with a fishing rod, he simply fell into the sea, where he was bitten in half by huge jaws. There is not a single fatal case of carcharodon attack in this area.

The Mediterranean is not a fishing zone. There are not many fishermen here. However, this does not save the white shark from being hunted by people. Since the resort business is developed, all sacrifices are for the benefit of vacationers.
White-bellied beauties are killed for their fins, ribs, and teeth. Fins are a world famous delicacy; Often a fish is caught, the fins are cut off and the unfortunate predator is released to die. Usually such mutilated sharks die in the jaws of their fellow tribesmen, who take advantage of their helplessness.

Coastal restaurants use driftwood to make soups, one serving of which costs $100. The ribs are used to make souvenir combs, keychains, etc.

A separate income item is teeth and jaws. On the Italian coast, collectors pay up to $1,000 for a Carcharodon jaw.

The red shark is the mistress of the sea waters. The Mediterranean, as it turns out, is not the most popular habitat for carhadon populations. However, these waters are also mastered by white-bellied beauties. Calm, low-aggressive white sharks Mediterranean Sea different from their brothers. Maintaining ecological balance, these ancient predators decorate the entire aquatic system, and will patrol the waters of the Mediterranean for many years to come.

And only man, with his greed and thoughtless cruelty, can stop the existence of this fish necessary for Mother Nature - the great white shark.

There are many facts confirming such fruits of human activity in relation to many types of living beings in history, all of them are reflected on black sheets International Red Book.

Complex scientific studies have shown that people, by abusing fishing, themselves lead to a decrease in the amount of food for sharks, and the lack of food is the main reason for their aggressive behavior towards swimmers and surfers. The number of collisions is increasing due to the fact that everyone more people go out into the open sea, ignoring the warnings of the authorities, and enter shark habitats, which leads to skirmishes and collisions with animals. Data shows that 6 out of 10 attacks are caused by humans. For example, emboldened scuba divers are increasingly trying to touch a shark. Very often there are attacks on fishermen who are trying to pull out a shark they have caught.

Well, how do you get out of a fight with a shark alive? Here are some real life examples. Richard Whatley, 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 push in his thigh. He realized it was a shark and tried to escape. A second later, the shark received a powerful punch to the nose - all that Richard was capable of, he put into this blow. Having knocked down the predator, 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. By the way, this was the first recorded shark attack on a person in Alabama in 25 years.

So what? Is a powerful right hook to the shark's nose an effective defense? In this case, the person, of course, survived, but in most cases, such blows will only irritate 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 people will invent some kind of remedy against the attacks 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.

Over millions of years of existence, sharks have perfectly adapted to living in the aquatic environment. They can be called the most perfect fish of all fish species known to man. For more successful survival, they lack only one thing - caring for their offspring. After birth, the cubs are left to their own devices. But maybe that’s why sharks have become such perfect creatures? After all, it is known that in cruel world nature, the strongest or “cunning” species survives. The only enemy of an adult shark is man. Although he does not exceed it in body size and number of teeth, he is capable of destroying any, even the largest shark with one movement of his finger, by pressing the trigger button of the next lethal weapon. So maybe it's time to leave these creatures alone and give our descendants the opportunity to discover the wonderful world of white sharks?

White shark attack tactics are varied. It all depends on what the shark has on his mind. These formidable predators are very curious animals. The only way for her to study her object of curiosity is to try it out. Scientists call such bites “research.” They are most often obtained by surfers or divers floating on the surface, whom the shark, due to its poor eyesight, mistakes for seals or sea lions. Having made sure that this “bony prey” is not a seal, the shark can lag behind the person, if it is not too hungry, of course.

According to official statistics, from 80 to 110 people are attacked by sharks every year (the total number of recorded attacks of all types of sharks is considered), of which 1 to 17 are fatal. If we make a comparison, people destroy about 100 million sharks every year.

From this article you will learn how long do sharks live. Sharks are one of the most interesting ocean representatives. They have inhabited the depths of the sea for more than five hundred (500) million years.

Instant reply: currently there are about one hundred ( 100 ) shark species. Different representatives of these creatures differ in life expectancy. Long-lived sharks can live over 80 years(for example, a whale shark).

How long do sharks live - in detail by species

Sharks are ancient representatives of our planet. The fact is that these animals inhabited the Earth more than 450 million years ago. Some varieties have hardly changed over such a huge period of existence.

Centenarians- polar sharks. Their age can exceed one hundred years, and according to scientific research - even 200. This is due to an incredibly weak metabolism. Researchers believe that this is one of the longest-living animals on our planet to date.

Lifespan of a whale shark - up to 75 years.

The lifespan of a basking shark is approximately 50 years.

The white shark lives much shorter - up to 30 years.

Very rare species- a largemouth shark can survive up to 50 years, and its long-livers are up to one hundred years. But this cannot be confirmed in any way, since since its discovery in 1976, only a couple of dozen representatives of this species have been identified.

Life expectancy is enormous hammerhead shark sometimes it can be about 50 years.

The Mako shark is one of the most hot-tempered and evil species sharks Its maximum lifespan may be slightly longer 30 years for females and slightly less for males.

How long do sharks live - Polar

Not long ago, ichthyologists noticed an amazing feature according to which those living in colder water live longer among sharks.

This applies specifically to polar sharks. They believe that for them the indicator is a hundred years is not the limit at all, and such representatives of sharks are able to live longer. Exactly how many is not yet clear due to the difficulty of identifying ages.

Arctic sharks have an incredibly slow metabolism, they seem to live in a dream, which is why they are called sleepy sharks.

Second position occupied by large species of sharks, which is natural, because for all living things one can notice this law: larger types live longer than small ones. They need more time to grow. In the tropics, the average lifespan of sharks is up to 30 years, and in middle latitudes - up to 45 years.

How long do white sharks live?

Researchers recently concluded that white sharks can live much longer than previously thought. Using the latest technology to clearly determine the age of shark tissue, researchers were able to identify a male white shark that lived up to 70 years old.

According to scientists, such a discovery is incredibly important for animal protection, since data on the lifespan of the type, the speed of its development and the time it reaches puberty will help create programs for the conservation of the species.

Previously, researchers tried to determine the age of a predator by counting growth rings in tissue (for example, in a vertebra). But the shark skeleton contains cartilage, and the division between the rings is difficult to discern even with a microscope.

Currently, researchers have been fortunate to identify a radioactive marker in certain rings.

This marker is an isotope that fell into the ocean simultaneously with sediments after atomic bomb tests in the 60s. It settled in the tissues of animals that lived at that time.

The researchers used traces of radioactive carbon in the form of some kind of stamp, with which they can calculate and calibrate the tissue layers in order to then more accurately determine the age of the samples obtained.

Past examinations of animal remains from the Indian and Pacific oceans have led researchers to believe that white sharks live for about 30 years.

But the radioactive marker significantly increased this indicator: the largest male lived 73 years old, and the female − 42 . All animals lived in the Atlantic Ocean, but scientists do not believe that there is any significant difference in the life expectancy of sharks from other oceans.

If the hypothesis that the average lifespan of a white shark is 70 years, will be confirmed, it will be possible to call this species one of the most long-lived types of cartilaginous fish. But at the same time, the white shark is one of the most vulnerable inhabitants of nature, since it is one of the main hunting items.

And if sexual maturity in such sharks occurs very slowly, then it will be quite difficult for them to restore their numbers after any significant damage.

In addition, as scientists have already learned, white sharks are far from the most prolific of the great variety of cartilaginous fish - the female is capable of producing only a couple of cubs in the litter(researchers still have not figured out how many times a female white shark can give birth during her life).

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White shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

general description

The white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), which is more correctly called Carcharodon, reaches particularly significant sizes - the largest of the modern predatory sharks. Its back and sides are gray, brown or black, and its belly is off-white. The largest specimen of this species measured was 11 m in length, although even larger specimens appear to occasionally occur. The usual size of a white shark is 5-6 m with a weight of 600-3200 kg. At the same time, sharks about 4 m long have not yet reached sexual maturity. It is interesting to note that until relatively recently (at the end of the Tertiary period) there were white sharks (species Carcharodon megalodon), reaching about 30 m in length.

Eight people could easily fit in the mouth of such a shark. The modern white shark leads a solitary lifestyle and is found both in the open ocean and off the coast. This shark usually stays near the surface, but can descend into the deep layers of water: one specimen was caught even at a depth of about 1000 m. The white shark is widespread in the warm waters of all oceans, and is also found in moderately warm waters. Its occurrences have been noted, in particular, in the southern part of the Sea of Japan, off the coast of Washington state and California, on the Pacific coast of the United States, and even off the island of Newfoundland.

This species is characterized by very large (up to 5 cm in height) and wide teeth, triangular in shape and roughly serrated along the edges. The very powerful armament of the jaws gives the white shark the ability to inflict terrible damage on its prey and bite through the bones and cartilage of the victims without much effort, and the wide mouth and pharynx allow this giant shark to swallow very large pieces. Apparently, the white shark is not particularly picky in its choice of food, although most often other sharks were found in the stomachs of caught individuals, which it apparently preys on. In this case, relatively small sharks (sometimes exceeding 2 m in length) are usually swallowed intact, while larger ones, such as a giant shark, are torn into pieces.

Carcharodon's food also includes relatively small fish (mackerel, sea bass), tuna, seals, fur seals, sea otters, sea turtles. This shark does not even disdain carrion and waste: in the stomach of one specimen, caught near Sydney, pieces of a horse, a dog and a leg of lamb were found among other food, and in another, caught off the coast of South Africa, half a kid, two pumpkins and a bottle of wicker case. The white shark is one of the sharks most dangerous to humans. There have been many recorded cases of this shark attacking people in the water, as well as boats.

In recent years alone, more than 100 such attacks have been documented, and this is undoubtedly only a small part of them. Most attacks were fatal, and only a few victims were lucky enough to save their lives, escaping with the loss of a limb or other serious injuries. White shark attacks have been recorded not only in open waters, but also near the coast - in bays and on beaches. It is not for nothing that in Australia this shark is called the “white death”. It is believed that attacks on humans are carried out only by individual “stray” individuals of this species. So, in 1916, off the Atlantic coast of America (New Jersey), five people were attacked by a shark off the coast over the course of 12 days. Only one of them survived. After a white shark was caught in the area, the attacks stopped.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animals
Type: Chordata
Class: Cartilaginous fish
Superorder: Sharks
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Herring sharks (Lamnidae)
Genus: White sharks (Carcharodon)

Photo: Kurzon, Brocken Inaglory, Hein waschefort

Origin

The great white shark (Latin Carcharodon carcharias) - also known as the white shark, white death, man-eating shark, Carcharodon - is an exceptionally large predatory fish found in the surface coastal waters of all the Earth's oceans except the Arctic.

Great white shark This predator owes its name to the white color of the abdominal part of the body, with a broken border on the sides separated from the dark back.

Reaching a length of over 7 meters and a mass of over 3,000 kg, the great white shark is the largest modern predatory fish (not counting the plankton-eating whale and basking sharks).

The great white shark is the only surviving species of its genus Carcharodon. It is on the verge of extinction - there are only about 3,500 specimens left on Earth.

The first scientific name, Squalus carcharias, was given to the great white shark by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Zoologist E. Smith in 1833 assigned the generic name Carcharodon (Greek karcharos sharp + Greek odous - tooth). The final modern scientific name of the species came into being in 1873, when the Linnaean species name was combined with the genus name under one term, Carcharodon carcharias.

Photo White shark (click to enlarge):

Photo: Hermanus Backpackers, Pedro Szekely, Brocken Inaglory

Distribution and habitats

The great white shark lives throughout the world in coastal waters of the continental shelf, the temperature of which ranges from 12 to 24 degrees Celsius. In colder waters, great white sharks are almost never found. They also do not live in desalinated and slightly salted seas. For example, they were not found in our Black Sea, which is too fresh for them. In addition, there is not enough food in the Black Sea for such a large predator as the great white shark.

Habitat of the great white shark

The habitat of the great white shark covers many coastal waters of the warm and temperate seas of the World Ocean. The above map shows that it can be found anywhere in the middle ocean belt of the planet, except, of course, the Arctic Ocean. In the south they are not found further than the southern coast of Australia and the coast of South Africa. Great white sharks are most likely to be found off the coast of California, near the Mexican island of Guadalupe. Individual populations live in the central part of the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas (Italy, Croatia), off the coast of New Zealand, where they are protected species. Great white sharks often swim in small schools.

Carcharodons are epipelagic fish, their appearance is usually observed and recorded in coastal seas, abundant in prey such as seals, sea lions, whales, where other sharks and large bony fish live. The great white shark is nicknamed the mistress of the ocean, since no one can compare with it in the power of attacks among other fish and sea inhabitants. Only the large killer whale terrifies Carcharodon. Great white sharks are capable of long-distance migrations and can descend to considerable depths: these sharks have been recorded at depths of almost 1300 m.

A white shark tagged off the coast of South Africa has revealed its annual migration route to the southern coast of Australia and back. Researchers have found that a great white shark completes this route in less than 9 months. The entire length of the migration route is about 20 thousand km in both directions.

These studies refuted traditional theories, according to which the white shark was considered an exclusively coastal predator.

Interactions have been established between different populations of white sharks, which were previously considered separate from each other. The purposes and reasons why the white shark migrates are still unknown. There are suggestions that migrations are caused by the seasonal nature of hunting or mating games.

Photo White shark (click to enlarge):

Photo: Joachim Huber

Anatomy and appearance

The body of the great white shark is spindle-shaped, streamlined in shape. A large, conical head with medium-sized eyes and a pair of nostrils located on it, to which small grooves lead, increasing the flow of water to the olfactory receptors of the shark. The number of teeth in the great white shark, like in the tiger shark, 280-300. They are located in several rows (usually 5). The body color of great white sharks is typical of fish swimming in the water column. The ventral side is lighter, usually dirty white, the dorsal side is darker - gray, with shades of blue, brown or green. The large and fleshy dorsal fin, two pectoral and anal fins are located on the body of the great white shark in places usual for sharks. The plumage ends with a large caudal fin, both blades of which, like all salmon sharks, are the same size.

Dimensions

The usual size of an adult great white shark is 4-5.2 meters with a weight of 700 - 1000 kg. Females are usually larger than males. The maximum size of a white shark is about 8 m and weighs more than 3500 kg. It should be noted that the maximum size of a white shark is a hotly debated topic. Some zoologists and shark specialists believe that the great white shark can reach significant sizes - more than 10 or even 12 meters in length.

Among the features of the anatomical structure, it should be noted that great white sharks have a highly developed circulatory system, which allows them to warm up their muscles, thereby achieving high mobility of the shark in the water. Like all sharks, great whites lack a swim bladder, requiring them to constantly move to avoid drowning. Although, it should be noted that sharks do not feel any particular inconvenience from this. For millions of years they managed without a bubble and did not suffer from it at all.

The great white shark is the only surviving species of its genus Carcharodon. It is on the verge of extinction. The white shark is a nurse and a regulator of the number of other organisms.

Photo White shark (click to enlarge):

Photo: Joachim Huber, Brocken Inaglory, Silvestre

Nutrition

Great white sharks are predators, and primarily feed on fish (including rays, tuna and smaller sharks), dolphins, whale and pinniped carcasses such as seals, fur seals and sea lions, and occasionally sea turtles. At times they attack sea otters and penguins are attacked, although this happens very rarely. It is also known that these sharks are not able to digest food. Most of the four-meter white shark's diet consists of mammals. These sharks prefer prey that is high in energy-rich fat. Shark researcher Peter Klimley used seal, pig and sheep carcasses as bait in his experiments. The sharks attacked all three baits, but rejected the sheep carcass.

The great white shark is a predator whose only real threat is humans. Although the white shark's diet overlaps with that of killer whales, they do not compete directly. However, in one famous incident, a female killer whale killed a pre-adult white shark, after which her calf feasted on the shark's liver. Small pods of dolphins are capable of killing a great white shark through a mob attack in which the dolphins ram the shark.

Great white sharks' reputation as ferocious predators is well deserved, but they are by no means indiscriminate eaters (as was once believed). The ambush hunting technique, when a shark attacks its prey from below, is typical for them. Near the now famous Seal Island, in South Africa's False Bay, studies have shown that shark attacks most often occur in the morning, within two hours of sunrise. The reason for this is that at this time it is very difficult to spot a shark near the bottom. The attack success rate is 55% in the first 2 hours, it drops to 40% late in the morning and then the sharks stop hunting.

The white shark's hunting technique varies depending on the species it preys on. While hunting seals near South Africa, a great white shark ambushes the seal from below and strikes the seal in the midsection at high speed. They move so fast that they actually emerge from the water. After an unsuccessful attack, she can continue to pursue her prey. As a rule, the attack occurs on the surface of the water.

When hunting northern elephant seals near California, the great white shark immobilizes its prey by biting the hindquarters (which is the elephant seal's main source of movement) and then waits until the prey dies from blood loss. This technique is usually used when hunting adults, which can be larger in size than a shark and are potentially dangerous opponents.

When hunting dolphins, white sharks attack them from above, behind or below to avoid detection through the echolocation that dolphins use.

Photo White shark (click to enlarge):

Photo: Godot13, Hector Ibarra, Brocken Inaglory

Behavior

The behavior and social status of the white shark are not well understood, but a recent study suggests that white sharks are more social than previously thought. In South Africa, white sharks appear to have a hierarchy of command based on size, gender and privilege. Females dominate males, larger sharks dominate smaller sharks, and long-time residents dominate new arrivals. When hunting, white sharks tend to maintain a large interval between each other, and resolve all conflict situations among themselves by resorting to ritual performances. They rarely resort to bites during these battles, although some individuals have been found to have bite marks left by other white sharks. It can be assumed that when someone invades their personal space, the white shark gives the intruder a warning bite. Some experts think that the white shark delivers gentle bites to other individuals, thus demonstrating to them its superiority.

The great white shark is one of several shark species that regularly raises its head higher
sea surface to peer closely at other objects such as prey. This behavior has also been observed in at least one group of reef sharks, but in this case it may have been driven by human interest (sharks are better at picking up odors this way because they travel faster through air than through water). Sharks are very curious animals and can show a high degree of intelligence and
individuality when conditions allow it.

Photo White shark (click to enlarge):

Photo: Brocken Inaglory, LASZLO ILYES, Sharkdiver.com

Reproduction

Any living creature strives to produce offspring similar to itself, which will continue the existence of the species, genus, family and will not allow this family chain to disappear in the ruthless battle of evolutionary selection. Each generation, according to Charles Darwin’s theory, is endowed with increasingly reliable survival mechanisms. For many millions of years, sharks, without a moment’s respite, defended their right to exist in the seas of our planet. So far they have succeeded and are succeeding quite well. What is the mechanism of reproduction of their own kind in these amazing fish?

Sharks, like all cartilaginous fish, reproduce by internal fertilization, when the male's reproductive products are introduced into the female's body and fertilize her reproductive products. However, in different species of sharks, the reproductive process may differ, primarily in the way the offspring emerge from the mother's egg. There are oviparous, ovoviviparous and viviparous sharks.

Oviparous sharks reproduce by eggs enclosed in a hard, sometimes covered with outgrowths, protein shell, on top of which there is usually a horny protective layer. Oviparous polar shark The shell on the eggs is formed during passage through the oviduct through the female's albumin and shell glands. It protects the embryo from dehydration, eating by predators, mechanical damage, and allows groups of eggs to be suspended on algae. The eggs of oviparous sharks are large and contain a lot of nutritious yolk. Typically, from 1-2 to 10-12 eggs are laid at a time, and only the polar shark lays up to 500 large eggs at a time, resembling goose eggs, about 8 cm long. The eggs of the polar shark are not enclosed in a cornea, unlike the eggs of other oviparous species sharks The embryonic development of the embryos is slow, but the hatched baby shark differs from the adult only in size and is capable of independent life.

More than 30 percent of all known shark species are oviparous. These are mainly bottom-dwelling representatives of the shark tribe that live off the coast, although there are exceptions (polar shark). The method of reproduction of sharks by oviposition is similar to the reproduction of many reptiles and even birds.

In ovoviviparous sharks, which include the majority of modern species (more than half), the egg develops in the body of the female. The hatching of offspring also occurs there. You can imagine this process as the birth of a fry from an egg that did not have time to leave the female’s body. In this case, the cubs hatch and remain inside the mother for some time, eventually being born well developed and adapted for independent existence. In some species of sharks, after using their yolk sac, the young eat unfertilized eggs accumulated in the uterus and even eggs from which their brothers and sisters did not have time to hatch. This phenomenon is called "intrauterine cannibalism." Such “cannibals” include sand, herring and some other species of sharks. As a result of such intrauterine selection, the strongest and most developed cubs are born, although their total number in the litter is not large.

A pair of sharks The period of gestation in ovoviviparous species of sharks has not been precisely determined by scientists. It is believed to range from several months to 2 years (katran), which is one of the longest gestation periods of any vertebrate.

Apparently, the method of reproducing offspring by ovoviviparity is, in a rough sense, a transition from reproduction by eggs to viviparity. Although, it is quite possible that nature provided just such a mechanism of reproduction for some species of animals, it did not receive further development during the evolutionary revision. However, the method of reproducing offspring by ovoviviparity in sharks and rays has existed for many millions of years and is still used today, i.e. is a fairly reliable reproduction mechanism.

Species of sharks that reproduce by ovoviviparity include, for example, the giant shark, which every two years brings 1-2 offspring of 1.5-2 meters each, the tiger shark, which gives birth to up to 50 sharks annually. This is apparently the maximum fecundity among ovoviviparous sharks.

During a live birth, an embryo develops in the female’s body, receiving nutrition from the mother’s circulatory system. The yolk sac, after using the yolk, grows to the wall of the female’s uterus, forming a kind of placenta, and the embryo receives oxygen and nutrients from the mother’s bloodstream through osmosis and diffusion. This method of reproduction already corresponds to the method of reproduction of higher animal organisms. There are also intermediate options between ovoviviparity and viviparity.

Just over 10 percent of existing shark species reproduce by viviparity. These include frilled shark, blue shark, some species of hammerheads, mustelids, saw sharks and many types of gray sharks. So, for example, the litter of a female frilled shark can number from 3 to 12 babies, in blue and hammerhead sharks their number can reach up to three dozen, in a long-finned oceanic shark - no more than ten.

Males have paired testes, which are suspended in the liver area on special stretch marks - mesenteries. The ducts of the seminiferous tubules of the testes (vases deferens) lie in the mesentery and empty into the renal tubules of the anterior narrow part of the kidney. This part of the kidney does not function as an excretory organ, but is converted into an appendage of the testis. The testicular tubules of a male shark open into the so-called Wolffian canal, which functions as a vas deferens. In the very rear part of the vas deferens, in sexually mature males an expansion is formed - the seminal vesicle.

The vas deferens on the right and left sides of the male’s body open into the cavity of the urogenital papilla. Next to them, openings of thin-walled hollow outgrowths - seed sacs - open in the same place. These are the remains of the so-called Müllerian canals. The ureters also empty into the cavity of the urogenital papilla. The urogenital papilla opens into the cavity of the cloaca with an opening at its apex. The formation of male germ cells occurs in the testicular tubules. Not yet mature spermatozoa enter the appendage of the testis - the anterior part of the kidney - through the seminiferous tubules and mature in its tubules. Mature sperm pass through the vas deferens and accumulate in the seminal vesicles and seminal sacs. When the muscles of the walls of the seminal vesicles and sacs contract, sperm are squeezed into the male's cloaca, and then, with the help of copulatory organs (pterygopodia), are introduced into the female's cloaca. Pterygopodia are formed from the rays of the ventral fins of the male; females do not have these formations.

The reproductive and urinary tracts of females are separated along their entire length. Females have paired ovaries, which are located in the shark’s body in much the same way as the testes of males. In immature females, the ovaries are appearance They even resemble the testes of males.

The Wolffian canal in females performs only the function of the ureter. Müllerian canals are laid on the abdominal surface of the corresponding kidney. In most sharks, the anterior ends of the Müllerian canals, which perform the function of oviducts in females, go around the anterior end of the liver and, merging, form a common funnel of the oviduct, which lies at the ventral surface of the central lobe of the liver and has wide fringed edges. In some species of sharks, each female oviduct ends in a funnel. In the area of the anterior part of the kidneys, each oviduct forms an extension - a shell gland, which is highly developed only in sexually mature individuals. The extended posterior part of the female's oviduct is called the "uterus". The oviducts of the right and left sides open into the cloaca with independent openings on the sides of the urinary papilla.

It should be noted that there is a certain unpleasant moment for the female during the process of mating with a male in many species of sharks. Literally male. rapes the female, brutally holding her by the fins and other parts of the body with his teeth during mating. Such “love caresses” often leave scars and numerous injuries on the body and fins of female sharks.

Internal fertilization, common to all sharks. Large eggs with significant reserves nutrients and strong shells, ovoviviparity and viviparity in many shark species dramatically reduce embryonic and postembryonic mortality of offspring. This is very important, since sharks cannot be as careless about reproduction as most bony fish, which reproduce by laying thousands and even millions (sunfish) of eggs. However, most parent sharks cannot be called caring “ancestors” - newborn sharks that did not have time to hide in time can be happily eaten by a hungry mother.

Interestingly, in some species of sharks, cases of parthenogenesis have been observed, when the female gave birth to offspring without the participation of a male individual. Apparently, this is a kind of protective mechanism against the extinction of the species due to reproduction without the participation of males.

Similar cases have been reported in some aquariums, i.e. when keeping a female in captivity.

Photo White shark (click to enlarge):

Photo: LASZLO ILYES, Albert Kok, Dr. Dwayne Meadows

Relationship with people

One of the most dangerous inhabitants of the seas and oceans is the white shark, a video of which is available on the website. The powerful jaws of Carcharodon are armed with sharp triangular teeth. Hard fangs are capable of not only tearing flesh, but also crushing strong bones.

It is not surprising that this predator can handle not only fish and squid, but also such strong animals as seals and elephant seals. An attacking white shark delivers a devastating bite, and then, shaking its head from side to side, tries to inflict as severe wounds on the victim as possible.

In this way, she completely demoralizes her prey, suppressing its will to resist. At the same time, the hunter does not forget about caution and her own safety. When lunging at a seal, the shark rolls up its eyes to protect them from its sharp claws. If the opponent is particularly strong, the carcharodon may release its prey after the first powerful bite and wait until the victim is exhausted from blood loss.

This tactic helps the white shark successfully hunt pinnipeds. Interestingly, young predators learn mainly from their own experience. At first they attack the seals horizontally, but then they realize that it is better to deliver the decisive blow from below. In this case, the cat has much less chance of escaping danger.

Carcharodon's coloration helps it successfully camouflage itself before it attacks. A large white shark in video footage of a sea lion hunt appears completely unexpectedly, jumping several meters out of the water and simultaneously capturing prey with its powerful jaws.

It seems that the seal has no chance of salvation at all. However, in reality this is not the case. If a potential prey notices an attacking predator in time, it can escape the attack into the “dead zone” above the shark’s dorsal fins. In this case, the missed carcharodon temporarily loses sight of the prey, and it has the opportunity to escape.

Why is the white shark a very dangerous predator?

The white shark is not only the largest, but also one of the fastest among all its close and distant relatives. It develops high speed of movement not only thanks to its streamlined spindle-shaped body and powerful fins.

A special network of blood vessels allows you to saturate the muscles with oxygen as efficiently as possible. Due to this, over short distances, Carcharodon can develop particularly high speeds. However, such jerks require large amounts of energy, to replenish which you need fatty and high-calorie foods.

Therefore, it cannot be said that a person is of any gastronomic interest to a white shark. Typically, carcharodon attacks on people are either the result of accident or are provoked.

We can see a white shark in the video attacking a cameraman in a cage. Although the structure is intended for protection, the scuba diver feels very uncomfortable when the predator hits the bars with powerful blows. But it wasn’t the shark that swam to the beach, it was the observers with their cage, equipment and bait that invaded the underwater world.

Of course, large selachians are dangerous predators. And the most formidable of them is the white shark, which has a reputation as a man-eating shark. However, in their normal habitat, these predators do not interact with humans in any way. The white shark gained its sad popularity primarily thanks to horror films, where it is presented as a ruthless, bloodthirsty killer.
White sharks and relationships with people

Documentary films shot in recent years show that this is not at all the case. White sharks in the video are doing the usual daily life, hunting mainly fish and pinnipeds.

If people invade their habitat, then the reaction of predators depends primarily on human behavior. In the video footage, you can see how white sharks react peacefully to scuba divers who behave respectfully towards them.

Photo White shark (click to enlarge):

Photo: Dr. Dwayne Meadows, Dr. Dwayne Meadows, Alexey Semeneev

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

The great white shark is well known for its size - it is known that largest representatives The 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 white sharks are believed 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 at a dam in New Brunswick. Canada in 1930. Reports of the capture of specimens measuring 7.5 meters in length were common, but the above sizes remained a record. (VENSON KUCHIPUDI)

Video: Great White Shark (Carcharodon)

First scientific name Squalus carcharias, given to the white shark by 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 coasts of the USA, South Africa, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and in the Mediterranean Sea. (SCOTT RETTIG)

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

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

Great white sharks have protective coloring: their belly is light and their dorsal fin is gray (sometimes brown or bluish). (GEORGE PROBST)

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

From above, the darker shade blends with the sea, and from below, the silhouette appears small against the backdrop 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 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 once every two years, but this fact has not been proven. (GREAT WHITE SHARK DIVING)

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

Video: The largest shark weighs about 2 tons

Unborn sharks are cannibals: stronger babies 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 higher order(i.e. they have no enemies in their own species), sometimes, although very rarely, they can be hunted by a larger killer whale. (VENSON KUCHIPUDI)

Mutual competition between white sharks and killer whales 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, which are not alien to such feelings as curiosity or playfulness. Perhaps due to this, sharks populated the aquatic environment so densely. They have at their disposal not only the oceans, but even some lakes and rivers. Naturally, the habitat and habits of different species are completely different.

Habitats

The world's oceans are home to approximately 460 different species of sharks. Among them, only 45 species are dangerous to people, others are no more dangerous than pike. Considering the largest ocean, the Pacific, one can immediately note that its waters harbor 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 shores of the Coral Sea;
Bolines Beach - California;
Oahu and Maui - 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. The Indian Ocean holds the record for the number and bloodthirstiness of sharks. In addition, their halo of habitat extends to many resorts in Australia, as well as Oceania. African ocean shores can also hardly be called safe.

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 terrible films and books, sharks only bite off pieces of a person, but in almost 95% of cases they spit out the meat, some types of jellyfish and snakes kill more people.

The only dangerous enemy of the shark today is man. In addition to the fact that researchers were mistaken in believing that shark cartilage treats 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 Carcharias

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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. And my grandmother has a lake next to her house. And all the children swim in the lake... but not him. Slava’s most shameful secret was that he was afraid to swim. He hated it when his feet didn't touch the bottom. It seemed that now something would definitely grab the leg carelessly flopping around in the water. Something toothy. Huge. Shark... Slava knew, if not everything, then a lot about sharks for a ten-year-old boy. I became interested in them even when I watched the first Jaws, an eerie 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 programs, which showed sharks as almost playful dolphins, never attacking people unless provoked, unnerved the boy to the core, making his heart skip a beat every time a triangular fin appeared in the frame. Another thing is that Slava would rather die than admit it honestly. He was afraid, but watched with clenched teeth. He read that you need to face your fear. So he watched. And in just a month, in a measly 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 taken a fancy to Lake Nicaragua. But who guarantees that bull sharks, which, by the way, are the most dangerous for humans, will not swim along some rivers and to Grandma’s lake?! Did you 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 to 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 taking a deep breath, the boy made up his mind. He will swim the entire length of the pool without touching the bottom, back and forth. And then he gets out and runs to the shower. If he's lucky, he won't even be late for literature. Literature was taught by Slava’s least favorite teacher, Olga Maksimovna. The whole class didn’t like her for her constant grumbling and nagging, but she hated Slava outright. Slava knew. It was impossible to wait any longer, the boy pushed off from the wall of the pool and swam. All his sensations were concentrated in his legs. Now... now sharp teeth will close on your ankle... Quiet! It's just a swimming pool! That's where, but you definitely won't be able to meet a shark in the school pool. It's not a pool like in Jaws that connected to the sea, right? It only connects to the water supply, and no matter how you look at it, no shark can swim through it. Oh, well, except for cigar ones. Slava very vividly remembered the scene from Jaws 3D, where cigar sharks, no worse than piranhas, gnawed one brunette. On time, yes, you can’t say anything. A chill passed over his skin, but the memory noticeably increased Slava’s speed. And then the hair under the swimming cap began to really move. Slava was not alone in the pool. A huge shadow slowly, smoothly glided along the next path towards him. The painfully familiar triangular fin of Cheyoyoert towered 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 arms and legs, rushing towards the stairs. The splashes attracted the shark, which suddenly rushed towards him, going into the depths. Slava knew what this meant... attack. There were two meters left to the stairs. No more than three to the shark. Slava flew out of the pool like a bullet. The shark jumped out of the water, showing its snow-white belly against the gray sides and back. Monstrous jaws clicked in the air. Warm streams flowed down Slava’s legs, but now he didn’t even have time for his shame. He watched the shark bend in highest point of its flight, falls back into the pool, straight onto the dividing rope between the paths, and slowly goes under the water, dissolving in the depths... When the splashes cleared, the pool was a pool again. A shallow paddling pool, two meters in the deepest place... Of course, there was no shark there. There couldn't be any shark! But someone tore the fence, right? Plastic rings were scattered all over the pool, some even flew off onto the floor. Slavik went to the shower on stiff legs. As you wish. He won't go to physical education anymore. He will scream, throw tantrums, cry like a first grader if he has to. He will not be afraid even of the formidable physical education teacher Anton Anatolyevich. But they won’t drive him into the pool. And into the lake too. And he’s unlikely to ever decide 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 seemed foreign, numb. Slava didn’t apologize or ask if he could come in. I just went to my place. Of course, Olga Maksimovna could not tolerate this. - Dolokhov, how do we understand this?! Slava looked up at her with a half-mad look. The teacher did not seem to notice either the boy’s dilated pupils or the small tremors that were pounding him. - Explain to me - and the class - what delayed you? “Shark,” Slava moved his disobedient lips. - In the pool... - What?!

What is the white shark famous for?

— the teacher opened her mouth disgustingly, which made her deep nasolabial folds more clearly visible, and looked at Slava with a mixture of pity and disgust. -What kind of shark is this? — Carcharadon Carcharias, great white shark. About four meters. Male,” Slava answered mechanically. — He tore the fence in the pool. Look if you don't believe me. For some reason the class laughed. 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 disgusting in absolutely equal measure. - Give me your diary. I will write a note to the parents. Slava obediently took the diary to the teacher’s desk. “Now sit down, you’ve already taken up enough time from the class,” Olga Maksimovna ordered. Slava sat down silently. Even under the threat of terrible torture, he would not have been able to say what was discussed in that lesson. The picture of a powerful giant fish, a real monster, flying out of the water and snapping its jaws, was constantly before his eyes. The shark was about a meter away from him. He saw its pointed scales, saw the scars on its dorsal fin. I saw creepy round eyes, perfect for this killing machine. I saw how the eyes covered themselves with nictitating membranes, defending themselves before the attack. Slava knew that he saw a shark. And he saw her in the pool. No one could convince him otherwise. The next break 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 scream, calling him a hooligan and an idiot. He ended with a demand to invite parents to school. And I wrote another note in my diary. Slava is used to being honest with his parents. They are not crazy Olga Maksimovna. They always took his side, often shielding themselves in front of their teachers. It turned out that honesty was not the best policy this time. They didn't believe him! The more Slava argued, proving what he had seen, the more concerned glances the parents exchanged with each other. It all ended with him meeting with a psychologist twice a week after school. It is not clear how the class found out about this, but “Psycho” and “Schizo” became Slava’s middle names very soon. One might even say the first. Nobody called him glory now. Even my once best friend Kirill. And nothing was forgotten during the summer holidays. 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 the water. And Slava now knew for sure that no water was safe. The ridicule of other children was deeply indifferent to him. Slava closed himself off and withdrew deeper into himself every day. And in the winter, just before the New Year holidays, an emergency happened at school. Physical education teacher Anton Anatolyevich suddenly went crazy and with incredible cruelty tore to pieces two third-graders who were doing extra exercise in the pool. The teacher who discovered them fainted. All the water was pink with blood, pieces of meat were floating on the surface. At least that's what the rumors were about. Then Anton Anatolyevich was seen at school, he came to pick up documents. There were already other rumors that he was released due to lack of proof of guilt. Slava then approached the coach while he was smoking on the porch and silently stood next to him. - Did you see it too? — that’s all he asked. - Shark. Anton Anatolyevich recoiled from the boy, threw away the cigarette he had just lit and walked away. Slava shrugged. He did not want new meetings with the psychologist, which means 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 myths and stories of other people, they make you believe that a 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 a very ordinary shark. What picture popped up before your eyes? Right! A large fish with razor-sharp teeth that are covered in fresh blood from a recently eaten innocent animal. However, now you will understand how wrong you were.

Shark-turtle hunting

As you already understand, 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 find it much more pleasant at the bottom, under tons of water, and there, as you know, you can’t gain much speed.

Of course, there are several species of sharks that are still capable of tracking down their prey. However, they do this infrequently. Some have even learned to “walk” along the seabed, using 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 its dinner, the fish can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h. In just 2 seconds, a shark can accelerate from 0 km/h to 50 km/h.

Black Shark Speed

Chances are it's black shark will attack per person are very scanty, since this type of shark lives too deep. This species is targeted by poachers due to 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 comes, they attack.

White shark

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Where does the great white shark live?

White sharks are excellent at adapting to different environments environment. They are distributed throughout the world's oceans, but stick to areas with a temperate climate. But sometimes they can be seen in the tropics and off the coast of Alaska. There are small concentrations of white sharks in the world, where predators are regularly encountered year after year. 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 with good reason. It can reach a length of 6 m and a weight of up to 3 tons. In 1930, Canadian province The largest white shark was caught in New Brunswick, which was even included in the Guinness Book of Records. Its body length was 7.3 m. Female white sharks 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 below. The upper part is unevenly colored in grayish-brown or grayish-blue tones. Such protective coloration hides the animal well sea water, making it unnoticeable to predators. Like other representatives of the families, the white shark has three rows of teeth, which it uses like a saw.

Great white shark (Carcharodon). Photos and videos of a great white shark.

They all have serrations and help her quickly tear off pieces of flesh from her victim.

Lifestyle and biology

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

White sharks are viviparous. Males begin to reproduce at the age of eight years, when their body length reaches at least 3.5 m. Females - at 12 years, 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 gestation period, which presumably lasts about a year, the embryos eat unfertilized eggs in the mother's womb. Thus, they maintain their vitality and gain the opportunity for full development.

The average lifespan of a white shark is 30 years.

Listed in the Red Book

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

The white shark is one of the largest predators among 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 victim. But sharks hunt in packs, and each member might want to make sure it's not a seal. However, just one bite from a predator with sharp teeth 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 a white shark

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Ever since man decided to explore the vastness of the ocean, he has considered the shark to be enemy number one. Real stories about these monsters are closely intertwined with fantasy, surrounding the sharks with an aura of ominous mystery. Merciless killers - this is the reputation that has stuck with the entire shark family.
There are about 350 species of sharks, but less than half of them are involved in crimes against people. In third place on the list of man-eating sharks is the hammerhead shark, in second place is the tiger shark, and the leader is the great white shark. This “queen of the oceans” has no equal in strength and bloodthirstiness.

It is found in warm temperate waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, the North Pacific Ocean, and off the coasts of Argentina, the Falkland Islands, South Africa, South Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, Chile, Peru and Ecuador. They are usually found near the surface of the sea only in spring and summer, i.e., when the water is richest in planktonic food.
The white shark's body is cigar-shaped. The large, symmetrical caudal fin consists of a greatly enlarged upper lobe and a small lower one. The pectoral fins are large; they serve to support the front part of the body, which, in their absence, would inevitably fall down when swimming.
How often do they attack people? Optimists argue that the likelihood of being killed by lightning or run over by a car is much higher than the likelihood of being hit in the mouth of a shark. However, despite this, dozens of people die every year from shark teeth. Official statistics claim that from 30 to 200 people die every year from this predator. What about unofficially? How many people reported missing after shipwrecks end up in 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 sun or in pouring rain.
If the shark's constant food - fish or lobsters - disappears for some reason, then the shark, blinded by hunger, attacks anyone, be it a person or even a sperm whale. In principle, the shark eats relatively little, but its indiscriminate eating habits are simply amazing. What have they not found in shark stomachs: tin cans, boots, hand grenades, horseshoes. And one day a native drum weighing about 7 kg was found in the belly of a shark.

Nature has provided sharks with the perfect killing tool. The jaws, lined with pointed teeth along the edges, have enormous strength.

Great white shark: characteristics and range

There are up to hundreds of teeth in the mouth, arranged in several rows. As soon as the front teeth fall out, they are immediately replaced by the back ones.

Biologists were able 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 a person’s body in half. When attacking, the shark first pierces its lower teeth, impaling its victim as if on a fork. The upper jaws begin to shred the body at this time. That's why there are so many deaths when people meet a shark.
It is also difficult to hide from a shark because it has an excellent sense of its prey, recognizing odors from a great distance. An important role in hunting and vision. True, sharks are quite shortsighted. However, the closer to the victim, the more the importance of this sense organ grows. Beyond 3-4 meters it is the eyes that guide further actions sharks.
Much about shark behavior remains unclear. Either she can swim past a bloody man, or she rushes to attack an armed scuba diver. It seems that sometimes sharks go into some sort of feeding frenzy and, in a blind rage, attack any object that gets in their way. But in general, the shark is very cautious. Having encountered an unfamiliar object, she will first circle nearby for a long time, finding out whether it is dangerous or not. The shark may stab its prey with its nose, checking once again whether it is edible. Only after these precautions does she rush to prey. The pectoral fins droop, the nose rises slightly, and the back hunches. A jerk - and the victim is already in the teeth of the shark.

Complex scientific studies have shown that people, by abusing fishing, themselves lead to a decrease in the amount of food for sharks, and the lack of food is the main reason for their aggressive behavior towards swimmers and surfers. The number of collisions is increasing due to more people going out to sea, ignoring government warnings, and entering shark habitats, leading to skirmishes and collisions with the animals. Data shows that 6 out of 10 attacks are caused by humans. For example, emboldened scuba divers are increasingly trying to touch a shark. Very often there are attacks on fishermen who are trying to pull out a shark they have caught.
Well, how do you get out of a fight with a shark alive? Here are some real life examples. Richard Whatley, 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 push in his thigh. He realized it was a shark and tried to escape. A second later, the shark received a powerful punch to the nose - all that Richard was capable of, he put into this blow. Having knocked down the predator, 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. By the way, this was the first recorded shark attack on a person in Alabama in 25 years.
So what? Is a powerful right hook to the shark's nose an effective defense? In this case, the person, of course, survived, but in most cases, such blows will only irritate 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 people will invent some kind of remedy against the attacks 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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A well-known representative of predatory fish is the great white shark. Individuals belonging to Carcharodon carcharias live in the surface layers of the water column of various oceans, although they are also encountered at depth. Only in the Arctic Ocean there are no sharks. These predator fish are called white death, man-eating fish and carcharodon (terrible-toothed).

Characteristics of the white shark: size, weight, teeth structure

White sharks owe their name to their specific appearance. The peritoneum of predatory fish is white; its sides and back are gray; in some individuals it is gray-blue or gray-brown.

Due to the specific color, it is difficult to notice fish from afar. The gray color of the back and sides makes it impossible to see them from above; they merge with the surface of the water. If you look up from the ocean floor, the white belly does not stand out against the sky. The shark's body is visually divided into 2 parts when viewed from the side from afar.

Female sharks are larger than males. The average length of female Carcharodon is 4.7 m, and males grow up to 3.7 m. With this length, their body weight varies between 0.7–1.1 tons. According to experts, man-eating fish found in ideal conditions, can grow up to 6.8 m. The body of the white shark is spindle-shaped and dense. There are 5 pairs of gill slits on the sides. The large conical head contains small eyes and nostrils.

Due to the grooves that approach the nostrils, the volume of water flowing to the olfactory receptors increases

The mouth of a predatory fish is wide and has the shape of an arc. Inside there are 5 rows of triangular sharp teeth, their height reaches 5 cm. The number of teeth is 280–300. In young individuals, the first row of teeth completely changes every 3 months, in adults - every 8 months. A special feature of Carcharodon is the presence of serrations on the surface of the teeth.

Powerful shark jaws can easily bite through cartilage and break the bones of victims they encounter. With the help of a study conducted in 2007, it was possible to find out the bite force of this predator.

Computed tomography of the shark's head helped establish that the bite force of a young specimen weighing 240 kg and 2.5 m long is 3131 N. And a shark 6.4 m long and weighing more than 3 tons can close its jaws with a force of 18216 N. According to some, According to scientists, information about the bite force of large sharks is overestimated. Due to the special structure of their teeth, sharks do not need to be able to bite with great force.

The first large fin on the back looks like a triangle, the pectoral fins are crescent-shaped, they are long and large. The anal and second dorsal fins are small. The body ends with a large tail, its plates are equal in size.

Large carcharodons have a well-developed circulatory system. This allows predators to warm up their muscles and increase the speed of movement in the water. White sharks do not have a swim bladder. Because of this, carcharodons are forced to constantly move, otherwise they sink to the bottom.

Where does it live?

The habitat of man-eating sharks is huge. They are found both in coastal areas and further inland. Mostly sharks swim in surface waters, but some specimens could be found at a depth of more than 1 km. They prefer warm bodies of water; the optimal temperature for them is 12–24 °C. Desalinated and low-salt waters are not suitable for sharks.

Carcharodons are not found in the Black Sea

The main centers of concentration of predators include coastal zones in California, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. Sharks are also found:

close to the coast of Argentina, the Republic of Cuba, the Bahamas, Brazil, east coast USA;
in the east of the Atlantic Ocean (from South Africa to France);
V Indian Ocean(found near the Seychelles, in the Red Sea and the waters of the Republic of Mauritius);
in the Pacific Ocean (along the west coast of America, from New Zealand to the Far Eastern territories).

Sharks can often be seen around archipelagos, shallows, and rocky headlands where pinnipeds live. Separate populations live in the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas. But their numbers in these reservoirs have decreased significantly in recent years, and they have practically disappeared.

Lifestyle

The social structure of shark populations and the behavior of individual individuals have not been sufficiently studied by humans. With the help of observations, it was possible to reveal that the attack tactics of predators depend on the type of prey chosen. This is facilitated by high body temperature, which stimulates the functioning of the brain.

Their attacks are so swift that in pursuit of prey they can completely emerge from the water. At the same time, animals develop speeds above 40 km/h. A failed attack does not stop the pursuit of the victim. They can raise their heads above the water while searching for prey.

Interspecific competition occurs in places where sharks and cetaceans have a common food supply

Previously it was believed that white sharks have no natural enemies. But in 1997, whale watchers witnessed an attack on an adult white shark. She was attacked by a representative of the cetaceans - the killer whale. Similar attacks were recorded later.

Nutrition and digestive system

The diet of Carcharodon varies depending on the age and size of the animals. They feed on small animals:

fish (tuna, stingrays, herring and small representatives of the shark family are popular);
pinnipeds (fur seals, lions, and seals most often suffer);
cephalopods;
birds;
representatives of cetaceans (porpoises, dolphins);
sea otters, turtles.

Carcharodons do not neglect carrion. A whale carcass can be a good catch.

Of particular interest to large individuals are seals, other marine animals, and small whales. With the help of fatty foods, they manage to maintain energy balance, so they require high-calorie foods.

But they rarely attack porpoises and dolphins. Although in the Mediterranean Sea the latter are an important component of the diet of sharks. They attack this type of prey mainly from below, from behind and from above, trying to avoid detection by echolocators.

Contrary to popular belief, humans are not of interest to sharks as food due to the insignificant amount of fat. Carcharodons may confuse a human with a marine mammal, which is considered the main reason for the attack.

White sharks have a slow metabolism, so they can sometimes go long periods without food.

Predators can go without food for a long time. It is believed that 30 kg of whale oil is enough to satisfy the metabolic processes taking place in the body of a shark weighing more than 900 kg for 45 days.

In terms of the structure of their digestive organs, sharks are practically no different from other fish. But Carcharodon has a pronounced division of the digestive system into various sections and glands. It starts with oral cavity, which smoothly passes into the pharynx. Behind it comes the esophagus and the V-shaped stomach. The folds inside the stomach are covered with a mucous membrane, from which digestive enzymes and juices necessary for processing ingested food are abundantly secreted.

There is a special section in the stomach into which excess food is sent. Food can be stored in it for up to 2 weeks. If necessary, the digestive system begins to use the available supply to support the life of the predator.

What distinguishes sharks from other species of fish and animals is the ability to “turn out” their stomach through their mouth. Thanks to this ability, they can clean it of dirt and accumulated food debris.

From the stomach, food passes into the intestines. The existing spiral valve contributes to more efficient absorption. Thanks to its presence, the contact of food digested in the stomach with the intestinal mucous membranes increases.

The following also take an active part in the digestion process:

gallbladder;
pancreas;
liver.

The pancreas is responsible for the production of hormones and pancreatic juice, intended for the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Thanks to the work of the liver, toxins are neutralized, pathogenic microorganisms are destroyed, and fats from food are processed and absorbed.

Features of behavior

White sharks do not live in one place. They move along the coast, make transatlantic journeys, but return to their usual habitats. Due to migrations, it is possible for different shark populations to intersect, although they were previously thought to live in isolation. The reasons for Carcharodon migrations are still unknown. Researchers speculate that this is due to reproduction or the search for places rich in food.

During observations in the waters of South Africa, it was revealed that the dominant position is assigned to females. When hunting, predators are separated. Conflicts that arise are resolved through demonstrative behavior.

White sharks start a fight in exceptional cases

Their behavior during hunting is interesting. The entire process of catching a victim can be divided into stages:

Identification.
Determination of species.
Approaching an object.
Attack.
Eating.

They attack mainly in cases where the prey is near the surface of the water. They grab large specimens in the middle and pull them under water. There they can swallow prey whole.

Diseases

The threat to Carcharodon is the small copepod crustaceans. They settle in the gills, feed on the shark’s blood and the oxygen supplied to it. Gradually, the condition of the gill tissues deteriorates and the shark dies from suffocation.

Carnivores have a well-functioning immune system that can protect them from autoimmune, inflammatory and infectious diseases, but they often get cancer. We have now identified more than 20 types of tumors that threaten the lives of sharks.

Reproduction: how white sharks give birth

Young sharks are born adapted to live independently

White sharks are ovoviviparous fish. The eggs inside the mother's body hatch into fry. They come out already grown up. There is no connection with the mother's body. The species reproduces by placental ovoviviparity. There are 2–10 sharks in a litter. Most often, 5–10 newborns are born. Their length at birth is 1.3–1.5 m.

The source of nutrients for growing embryos are the eggs produced by the mother's body. Sharks in the womb have a distended abdomen, 1 m long, with a yolk inside. At later stages of development, the stomachs become empty. Observers most often encounter newborn sharks in calm waters. They are well developed.

How long does he live?

The lifespan of Carcharodon is on average 70 years. In this case, sexual maturity in females occurs at 33 years of age, in males - at 26 years of age. They stop growing from the moment they reach maturity.

Assault on a person

People are not of interest to sharks, although there have been many recorded cases of them attacking. The most common victims are divers and fishermen who get too close to the predator.

In the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, a “shark phenomenon” has been observed, according to which Carcharodons swam away after one bite. According to experts, sharks that are hungry can easily feed on humans.

Most often, when meeting sharks, people die from blood loss, drowning or painful shock. When attacking, predators injure their prey and wait for it to weaken.

Play dead - worst option in a collision with a shark

Solo divers can be partially eaten by a shark, but people who dive with partners can be saved. Often those people who actively resist are able to escape. Any blows can cause the predator to swim away. Experts advise, if possible, to hit the shark in the eyes, gills, and face.

It is important to constantly monitor the location of the predator; it may attack again. Sharks readily feed on carrion, so the sight of an unresisting victim will not stop them.

Sharks are a little-studied species of predatory fish. A decrease in their numbers affects the food chain, because they are part of the ecosystem of the world's oceans. Despite the fact that little is known about white sharks, researchers were able to identify a number of interesting facts related to these animals:

Females have thicker skin than males. This is due to the fact that during mating the male roughly holds his partner, biting her fins.
Shark teeth are coated with fluoride, which prevents them from deteriorating. Enamel consists of a substance that is resistant to acid produced by bacteria.
Sharks have well-developed: vision, smell, hearing, touch, taste and sensitivity to electromagnetic fields.
Sensitive olfactory receptors enable the shark to detect the smell of a seal colony located at a distance of 3 km.
When hunting in cold waters, carcharodons are able to raise their body temperature.

Due to industrial fishing, the number of white sharks is rapidly declining. According to experts, there are about 3.5 thousand of them left all over the world. If sharks begin to die out, this could lead to the disappearance of many marine plants.

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