Great White Shark: Carcharodon carcharias

The largest predatory shark in the ocean is the Great White Shark. Other large sharks like whale sharks and basking sharks feed on small planktonic creatures. The Great White Shark, however, feeds on large mammals, fish, whales and occasionally they accidentally bite humans. So why is it that these sharks are so feared?

How Large are Great White Sharks?

Great White sharks are large sharks. When they are born (often with a dozen other siblings), they are about 5 feet long. They slowly grow to become the top of the food chain. A typical Great White Shark is about 4-5 meters long and has a mass of 680 to 1,000 kilograms.

The maximum size that a Great White Shark can obtain is under some debate. The largest shark that has been reliably measured was 6.4 meters (21 feet). It was caught in Cuban wates in 1945. Possibly the second largest shark was reported by a Canadian Shark Research Center. A shark measureing 6.1 meters (20 feet) was caught by an Alberton named David Mckendrick.

What do Great White Sharks Eat?

Great Whites are carnivorous apex predators. Their diet consists of fish (like tuna, other sharks and rays), dolphins, porpoises, seals, seal lions, whale carcasses, and sometimes sea turtles, sea otters and penguins. Humans are not on the menu for Great White Sharks, but they are often seriosly bitten. There are very few incidents of a Great Whites doing much more than biting and leaving the scene.