Just looking at a picture of a great white shark can simultaneously evoke feelings of awe for its strange beauty and of dread for its killing prowess. Imagine how your body would react if you were to suddenly meet one in the open waters.
When seen from above, the shark tends to blend into the sea due to its darker dorsal coloring. Its camouflaged as well from below as its lighter grey - white color casts a minimal silhouette against the sun. With rows of razor-sharp teeth and elegant lines, its easy to see why its such an effective predator.
They usually range anywhere from 13 to 16 feet in length and generally weigh between 1500 to 2500 lbs. Occasionally, however, there are a few large ones weighing as much as 4200 lbs and growing as long as 20 feet.
This shark is known as an apex-predator, meaning its main function is to control the population of other fish. Any animal with a high content of fat is preferred , with great white typically targeting rays, tuna, smaller sharks, dolphins, seals, and sea lions. They have been known to sample nearly anything, however, and have even eaten objects they are unable to digest.
The only exceptions to the apex-predator rule is humans, which have contributed greatly to the sharks conservation status of “threatened”. There is also the occasional attack on a great white by an orca. Dolphins have been known to kill great whites, by repeatedly ramming the shark in groups. Larger great whites have also been known to feed on smaller specimens.
Studies have shown that they typically hunt in the mornings, usually within two hours after sunrise. Apparently its the most difficult to see a shark near the bottom around this time. A great white will typically attack its prey with a forceful bite, leaving the animal wounded and then later go in to finish after its stopped struggling.
Tags: Great White Shark, ocean, shark
