Great White SharkBy Jessika Toothman, HowStuffWorks.com
All About Me I'm definitely great, but the only thing white about me is my belly -- my dorsal side comes in a range of shades, like blue-gray and gray-brown. If you encounter one of us, the first thing on your mind might not be to whip out a tape measure, but lots of enthusiasts and researchers sure would thank you for it. The maximum size of the most massive great whites roaming the high seas is hotly debated and often imagined to be spectacularly huge. But the largest of us ever accurately measured was a respectable 21 feet (6.4 meters) in length. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has me ranked as "vulnerable" because it takes me a long time to mature, and only a few pups are born in each litter. Fishermen also seek me out since they can turn quite a profit selling my fins, liver oil, teeth, jaws, meat and skin. And as my Hollywood rep has greatly increased my commercial value, it has also spurred lots of interest among recreational sportsmen. What's on the Menu? I'm an apex predator, so the sky's the limit in terms of potential prey -- literally. I've even been known to hunt seabirds, although I don't always find them too tasty. Fish such as salmon, halibut, tuna and mackerel are always good, and I'll sample various species of porpoises, dolphins, sea turtles, seals, sea lions, squids, crabs, sharks, skates, rays, sea otters, and dead whales and other carrion. I might not always eat the creatures I bite, but that doesn't stop me from testing whether they're palatable. Cool Fact Despite our popularity, much about great whites remains a mystery -- we're sparsely spread and are incredibly challenging to successfully keep in captivity for long. Where You'll Find Me We have a vast distribution area, partially because we're good at regulating our body temperature, which keeps us warm in colder waters. That's not to say we never venture into the tropics -- great whites enjoy great freedom of movement. We seem to prefer coastal waters and continental shelves most commonly, but we've also been known to go far inshore, to decent depths, to island archipelagos and more. More SHARK Stuff |
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