Great White Shark Facts

Great White Shark Facts
Although there are around 400 known shark species, Great White Sharks are one of the most popular. Part of their popularity lays in horror movies that show Great White as monster fish which target and kill humans as their regular food. These movies are far from the true. They are the largest predatory species (one that hunts other animals) in the ocean and one of the most successful hunters in the whole world, but they don't eat people. These sharks can be found in deep water and near the coast of all continents except Antarctica.
Interesting Great White Shark Facts:
Females are larger than males.
Dorsal side (their backs) of the shark's body is dark in color (black, grey, brownish) and their bellies are completely white. Specific body coloration is excellent camouflage that prevents prey from seeing the shark.
Great White Sharks can eat entire sea lion in a single meal.
Great White Sharks don't have eyelids, but they can roll their eyeballs during attack to prevent eye injury. This is especially important when they hunt sea lions which have sharp claws. In the last moment of the attack - sharks are practically blind. Other than that, they have excellent eyesight.
Great Whites don't produce sounds. They communicate using body language and scents.
Great White Sharks have excellent sense of smell: they can smell one drop of blood in a million drops of water!
Most sharks become motionless when they are flipped over. This phenomenon is called "tonic immobility" and Great Whites may experience it also. Orcas use this technique to defeat Great White Shark - they keep the shark flipped over until it stops breathing.
Great Whites have electro-receptors which detect electric field of all animals in the water. They use these receptors to locate a prey.
Great White Sharks may attack people, but they will not eat them. Attack happens because sharks mix people with seals or other prey that they normally eat. Since people don't have as much fat as shark needs, they will not be eaten. More people die in a toaster related accidents than after a shark attack.
These sharks grow slowly. Males reach maturity at the age of 10, and females at age of 15. Females will give birth to 2-10 live sharks after 12 month of pregnancy. Sharks don't show parental care and babies take care of themselves from the moment they are born.
Great Whites that live near the coast of South Africa are famous for their majestic jumps from the water.
Great White sharks are solitary animals (live on their own). They gather only during mating season.
Great White Sharks can't live in captivity (in aquariums) because they become disoriented and collide with aquarium glass all the time.
Men kill over 100 million sharks each year! Number of sharks is drastically reduced and these animals are now classified as critically endangered. Some scientists estimate that only 10.000 Great White Sharks are left in the wild.
Great White Sharks live up to 60 years.


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