White shark size. Great white shark. Lifestyle and habitat of the great white shark. When the white shark attacks

The great white shark, the heroine of P. Benchley's novel "Jaws" and the film of the same name, has a bad reputation as a cannibal. Yes, this is the world's largest predatory fish and an excellent hunter. But is she as bloodthirsty towards people as we are shown in various films?

In Australia, it is called the "white death", but you can encounter it not only here, but in almost all coastal waters of the main oceans, except for the Arctic. She has chosen both cold temperate and warm tropical waters.

Small colonies of white sharks are periodically found off the southern coast of Australia, off the coast of California and South Africa, in the Red Sea, in the central part of the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas, off the coast of New Zealand, in the Caribbean Sea, near Madagascar, Kenya, the Seychelles and the coast of Mauritius . These, of course, are not all the places where you can accidentally run into this formidable mistress of the seas and oceans.

Habitat of the great white shark

But still, ichthyologists managed to find a couple of favorite places for white sharks. The first is near Hawaii, where they meet in the hundreds. Scientists have nicknamed this place the White Shark Cafe. It is a great place to observe and study the life of these animals. And the second is the coastal waters of Dyer Island (South Africa).

Periodically, great white sharks arrange migrations. There are 2 main routes: the first runs from Baja California (Mexico) to the White Shark Cafe (White Shark Cafe) and back, and the second runs from the coast of South Africa to the southern coast of Australia. What caused such annual migrations, none of the scientists can say for sure.

The shark spends most of its time in the upper water column. But sometimes it can dive to a depth of 1000 meters.

The great white shark has a number of characteristic features that distinguish it from other species. First, is its size. The average length of an adult is 2.5-3.5 meters, there are also larger specimens - up to 5-6 meters. Some argue that this is not the limit and white sharks can grow up to 7 meters, but there were no reliable facts about this. The largest specimen caught so far is considered to be a shark 6.4 meters long, caught in 1945 in Cuban waters. A 5-6 meter shark can weigh from 700 kg to 2.5 tons.

Secondly, protective coloring. The back and head of the shark are painted dark gray. This allows her to remain unnoticed by prey floating above, as her dark shadow dissolves into the dark blue water column. The lower part of the oblong body is light. I look at the shark from below, you understand that the light belly allows it to “get lost” at the surface of the water against the background of a bright sky.

Gray back and white belly

Thirdly, the shape of the body. The white shark has a large, conical head. Large pectoral fins help keep the powerful body afloat.

And fourthly, her powerful jaws with huge teeth, which are the perfect murder weapon. The pressure force with which the shark compresses its jaws is almost several tons per 1 cm 2. This allows the predator to easily bite large animals in half or bite off any part of the human body.

shark smile

Like many sharks, its teeth are arranged in 3 rows. Each tooth is equipped with serrations that act as a kind of saw when tearing pieces of meat from the body of the prey. If the front teeth are lost, they are quickly replaced by the back teeth.

Great white shark tooth with jagged edges

Even white sharks became famous for their keen senses and complete promiscuity in food. Special sense organs on the nose (“ampoules of Lorenzia”) allow them to capture and recognize the slightest electrical impulses and smells over long distances, and this primarily concerns the smell of blood. They can smell 1 drop of blood in 100 liters of water. Therefore, during the hunt, sharks rely solely on their instincts. But their eyesight is poor.

In principle, white sharks attack humans only on very rare occasions. The main reason for this is the lack of food. These are fish, tuna, seals, squids, sea lions, other sharks and dolphins. Hungry sharks become very aggressive and are ready to pounce on any object they see or feel, be it a person or various waste. While searching for prey, they can get very close to the shore.

Their favorite "food" is fat sea lions, seals or big fish. Fatty foods provide them with energy and help maintain a high body temperature. You can't call these sharks gluttonous either. Due to the special structure of the stomach (they have a "spare" stomach), they do not eat every day.

White shark attack tactics are varied. It all depends on what the shark has in mind. These formidable predators are very curious animals. The only way for her to study her object of curiosity is to try it “by the tooth”. Scientists call these bites "exploratory bites." It is they who are most often received by surfers or divers floating on the surface, whom the shark, due to its poor eyesight, mistakes for seals or sea lions. After making sure that this "bony prey" is not a seal, the shark can fall behind the person if it is not too hungry, of course.

The great white shark attacks by making a lightning dash from below. At this moment, she tries to inflict a powerful bite on the victim, which gives little chance of survival. Then the hunter swims a short distance so that the victim in attacks of protection cannot injure her face, bleeds a little and weakens.

Female white sharks give birth to two cubs. In this species, as in some others, such a phenomenon as cainism is common, when stronger and more developed cubs eat their less developed “brothers and sisters”. In sharks, this happens even inside the female, when 2 more developed cubs begin to eat all the other sharks and unfertilized eggs.

Curiosity is not a vice

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 from 1 to 17 are fatal. If we compare, people destroy about 100 million sharks every year. And which of them should be called a dangerous predator?

The great white shark is known to many as the man-eating shark, or carcharodon. This animal belongs to the class of cartilaginous fish and the herring shark family. Today, the population of this species slightly exceeds three thousand individuals, so the great white shark belongs to the category of predatory animals that are on the verge of extinction.

Description and characteristics of the white shark

The length of the largest of all modern predatory sharks is eleven meters or a little more. The most common are individuals with a body length of not more than six meters, and a mass in the range of 650-3000 kg. The back and sides of the white shark have a characteristic gray coloration with slight brownish or black tones. The surface of the ventral part is off-white.

It is interesting! It is known that white sharks existed relatively recently, the body length of which could reach thirty meters. In the mouth of such an individual, living at the end of the Tertiary period, eight adults could freely settle down.

Modern white sharks lead a predominantly solitary lifestyle. Adults can be found not only in the waters of the open ocean, but also along the coastline. As a rule, the shark tries to stay close to the surface, and prefers warm or moderately warm ocean waters. Prey is destroyed by the white shark with the help of very large and wide, triangular teeth. All teeth have jagged edges. Very powerful jaws allow the aquatic predator to bite through not only cartilaginous tissues, but also rather large bones of its prey without much effort. Hungry white sharks are not particularly picky about their food choices.

Features of the morphology of the white shark:

• a large cone-shaped head has a pair of eyes, a pair of nostrils and a fairly large mouth;
• small grooves are located around the nostrils, which increase the speed of water inflow and improve the predator's sense of smell;
• pressure indicators of large jaws reach eighteen thousand newtons;
• teeth arranged in five rows change regularly, but their total number varies within three hundred;
• five gill slits are located behind the predator's head;
• two large pectoral fins and a fleshy anterior dorsal fin. They are supplemented by relatively small second dorsal, ventral and anal fins;
• the fin located in the tail section is large;
• the circulatory system of a predator is well developed and is able to quickly heat up muscle tissues, increasing the speed of movement and improving the mobility of a large body.

It is interesting! The great white shark does not have a swim bladder, therefore it has negative buoyancy, and to prevent sinking to the bottom, the fish must constantly make swimming movements.

A feature of the species is the unusual structure of the eyes, which allows the predator to see prey even in the dark. A special organ of the shark is the lateral line, thanks to which the slightest disturbance of the water is captured even at a distance of one hundred meters or more.

Habitat and distribution in nature

The white shark is found in many coastal waters of the oceans.. This predator is found almost everywhere, except for the Arctic Ocean and beyond the southern coast of Australia and South Africa.

The largest number of individuals hunt in the coastal zone of California, as well as in close proximity to the island of Guadeloupe in Mexico. Also, a small population of the great white shark lives near Italy and Croatia, and off the New Zealand coastline. Here, small flocks are classified as protected species.

A significant number of white sharks have chosen the waters near Dyer Island, which has allowed scientists to successfully conduct numerous scientific studies. Also, fairly large populations of great white sharks were found near the following areas:

• Mauritius;
• Madagascar;
• Kenya;
• Seychelles;
• Australia;
• New Zealand.

In general, the predator is relatively unpretentious in its habitat, so migration is focused on areas with the largest number of prey and optimal conditions for reproduction. Epipelagic fish are able to choose coastal marine areas with a large number of fur seals, sea lions, whales and other species of small sharks or large bony fish. Only very large killer whales are capable of resisting this "mistress" of the ocean space.

Lifestyle and behavioral features

The nature of the behavior and social structure of white sharks has not been sufficiently studied at present. It is known for certain that the population living in the waters close to South Africa is characterized by hierarchical dominance in accordance with sex, size and residence of individuals. The dominance of females over males prevails, and the largest individuals over smaller sharks. Conflict situations in the process of hunting are resolved by rituals or demonstrative behavior. Fights between individuals of the same population are certainly possible, but are quite rare. As a rule, sharks of this species in conflicts are limited to not too strong, warning bites.

A distinctive feature of the white shark is the ability to periodically raise its head above the water surface in the process of hunting and searching for prey. According to scientists, in this way the shark manages to capture smells well even at a considerable distance.

It is interesting! Predators enter the waters of the coastal zone, as a rule, in stable or long-established groups, including from two to six individuals, which is similar to a wolf pack. Each such group has a so-called alpha leader, and the rest of the individuals within the "pack" have a clearly defined status in accordance with the hierarchy.

Great white sharks are distinguished by fairly well-developed mental abilities and ingenuity, which allows them to find food in almost any, even the most difficult conditions.

Feeding an aquatic predator

Young carcharadons, as the main diet, use medium-sized bony fish, small-sized marine animals and medium-sized mammals. Sufficiently grown and fully formed great white sharks expand their diet at the expense of larger prey, which can be seals, sea lions, and also large fish. Adult carcharadons will not refuse such prey as smaller species of sharks, cephalopods and other most nutritious marine life.

For successful hunting, great white sharks use a peculiar body color. a. The light coloring makes the shark almost invisible among underwater rocky places, which makes it very easy for it to track down its prey. Especially interesting is the moment of the attack of the great white shark. Due to the high body temperature, the predator is able to develop quite a decent speed, and good strategic abilities allow carcharadons to use win-win tactics when hunting aquatic inhabitants.

Important! With a massive body, very powerful jaws and sharp teeth, the great white shark has almost no competitors among aquatic predators and is capable of hunting almost any prey.

The main food addictions of the great white shark are represented by seals and other marine animals, including dolphins and small species of whales. Eating a significant amount of fatty foods allows this predator to maintain an optimal energy balance. The heating of muscle mass by the circulatory system requires a diet represented by high-calorie foods.

Of particular interest is the carcharodon seal hunting. Gliding horizontally in the water column, the white shark pretends not to notice the animal floating on the surface, but as soon as the seal loses its vigilance, the shark attacks the prey, jumping out of the water abruptly and almost with lightning speed. When hunting for, the great white shark ambushes and attacks from behind, which does not allow the dolphin to use its unique ability - echo location.

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 found at depth. Only in the Arctic Ocean there are no sharks. These predatory fish are called white death, cannibal fish and carcharodons (terrible teeth).

White shark characteristics: size, weight, tooth structure

White sharks owe their name to their specific appearance. The peritoneum of predatory fish is colored white, their 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 the fish from afar. The gray color of the back and sides does not make it possible to see them from above, they merge with the surface of the water. If you look up from the bottom of the ocean, then the white belly does not stand out against the sky. The body of a shark is visually divided into 2 parts when viewed from the side from afar.

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

Due to the grooves that fit the nostrils, the volume of water entering the olfactory receptors increases

The mouth of a predatory fish is wide, it 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 dentition is completely changed every 3 months, in adults - every 8 months. A feature of carcharodons is the presence of notches on the surface of the teeth.

Powerful shark jaws are able to easily bite through the cartilage, break the bones of their victims. 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 head of the shark helped to establish that the bite force of a young individual 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 the assumption of some scientists, information about the bite force of large sharks is overestimated. Due to the special structure of the 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 sickle-shaped, they are long and large. The anal and second dorsal fins are small. The body ends with a large tail, its plates are the same in size.

In large carcharodons, the circulatory system is well developed. This allows predators to warm up their muscles and increase their speed 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 inland. Mostly sharks swim in surface waters, but some specimens could be found at a depth of more than 1 km. They prefer warm water bodies, the optimum temperature for them is 12–24 °C. Sharks are not suitable for desalinated and low-salt waters.

Carcharodons are not found in the Black Sea

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

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

Often sharks can be seen around archipelagos, shoals, rocky capes inhabited by pinnipeds. Separate populations live in the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas. But their number in these water bodies has significantly decreased in recent years, they have practically disappeared.

Lifestyle

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

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 single food base.

It was previously thought that white sharks had no natural enemies. But in 1997, whale watching had to witness an attack on an adult white shark. It was attacked by a representative of cetaceans - a killer whale. Similar attacks were recorded later.

Nutrition and the digestive system

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

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

Carcharodons do not neglect carrion. Whale carcass can be good prey.

Of particular interest to large specimens 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 the latter are an important component of the diet of sharks. They attack this type of prey mainly from below, behind and from above, trying to avoid detection by sonar.

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

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

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.

According to the structure of the digestive organs, sharks practically do not differ from other fish. But in carcharodons, the division of the digestive system into various sections and glands is expressed. It begins with the oral cavity, which smoothly passes into the pharynx. It is followed by a V-shaped esophagus and stomach. The folds inside the stomach are covered with a mucous membrane, from which digestive enzymes and juices are abundantly secreted, necessary for the processing of ingested food.

In the stomach there is a special section in 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.

From other species of fish and animals, sharks are distinguished by the ability to “turn out” the stomach through the mouth. Thanks to this ability, they can clean it of dirt, accumulated food debris.

From the stomach, food passes into the intestines. The existing spiral valve contributes to more efficient absorption. Due to its presence, the contact of food digested in the stomach with the intestinal mucosa is enhanced.

Also active in the process of digestion are:

• gallbladder;
• pancreas;
• liver.

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

Behavioral features

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, there is the possibility of crossing different shark populations, although they were previously thought to live in isolation. The reasons for the Carcharodon migrations are still unknown. Researchers speculate that this is due to breeding or searching 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 divided. Arising conflicts are resolved with the help of demonstrative behavior.

White sharks start a fight in exceptional cases

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

1. Identification.
2. Species identification.
3. Approaching an object.
4. Attack.
5. Eating.

They attack mainly when the prey is near the surface of the water. They grab large individuals in the middle and drag them under water. There they can swallow the prey whole.

Diseases

A threat to carcharodons are small copepods. They settle in the gills, feed on the shark's blood and the oxygen that it receives. Gradually, the condition of the gill tissue worsens 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 develop cancer. Now it was possible to identify more than 20 types of tumors that threaten the life of sharks.

Reproduction: how white sharks give birth

Young sharks are born adapted to independent living.

White sharks are ovoviviparous fish. Fry hatch from eggs inside the mother's body. They come out grown up. Communication with the mother's body is absent. 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 eggs, which are produced by the mother's body. The sharks in the womb have a stretched belly 1 m long, inside it is the yolk. In the later stages of development, the stomachs become empty. Newborn sharks are most often seen by observers in calm waters. They are well developed.

How many lives

The average lifespan of Carcharodons is 70 years. At the same time, puberty in females occurs at the age of 33, in males - at the age of 26. They stop growing from the moment they reach maturity.

attack on a person

People are not of interest to sharks, although many cases have been recorded when they attacked. Most often, divers and fishermen who come too close to the predator become victims.

In the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, there is a "shark phenomenon", according to which Carcharodons swam away after one bite. According to experts, sharks that are hungry can easily profit from a person.

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

Playing Dead Is the Worst Option When Encountering a Shark

Single divers can be partially eaten by a shark, and people who dive with partners can be saved. Often it is possible to escape those people who actively resist. Any blows can force the predator to swim away. Experts advise, if possible, to beat the shark in the eyes, gills, muzzle.

It is important to constantly monitor the location of the predator, it can attack again. Sharks are willing to eat carrion, so the sight of an unresisting prey 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, the researchers managed to identify a number of interesting facts related to these animals:

• Females have thicker skin than males. This is due to the fact that the male roughly holds his partner during mating, biting her by the fins.
• Shark teeth are coated with fluoride, so they do not deteriorate. Enamel is made up 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 catch 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 extinction of many marine plants.

When it comes to animal stereotypes, you can't find a more controversial character than the great white shark. Several powerful myths have taken root in the human mind. We attribute bloodthirstiness and vindictiveness to the predator, so many travelers prefer not to go to the open sea. We consider her a cannibal, but in fact there are much more dangerous inhabitants in the ocean. The reality is that this predator is not even white.

How did the shark get its name?

The great white shark is accustomed to a wide variety of food. And if in her youth she dines mainly with fish, then in adulthood she hunts penguins, turtles, squids and even whales. Aboriginal people from different countries came up with their own nicknames for the formidable predator. During the hunt, when the fishermen drag the immobilized carcass of an animal onto the deck of the ship, they throw the prey on their back and see a perfectly white belly in front of them. Probably, this circumstance gave rise to the official name of the species. In fact, the upper part of the predator's body is dark, almost black. It might as well have been called the great black shark.

Disguise

Nature gave the great white shark a dark colored body to help it hunt. When an animal emerges from the murky waters of the deep sea, unsuspecting victims cannot instantly orient themselves in the situation and do not have time to hide in a secluded place.

Gastronomic preferences of sharks change with age

If you make a list of everything that has ever been found in the stomach of a formidable predator, it will take up a lot of space on paper. Only one thing is clear to oceanologists: the tastes of an animal change with age, as individuals age. While the size of the shark does not exceed two and a half meters, the individual's diet is exclusively fish. When an animal grows in size and reaches sexual maturity, it begins to feed on mammals. Older sharks prefer seals, sea lions and walruses. When they attack from below, at speed, the victim has no chance of salvation.

The possibilities of the sense organs

The great white shark is endowed with a range of senses that complement each other. Before us is a skillful, dexterous and insidious hunter. Maybe that's why people attribute to this predator all the existing earthly sins. The most subtle instrument deserving our attention is the shark's ear.

In 1963, scientists conducted a study off the coast of Miami. A speaker was installed on the edge of the boat, which attracted the predator with sound. The tape recorded low-frequency pulses, similar to those emitted by fish in distress. Very soon, scientists discovered a whole flock of sharks near them. Despite the fact that sharks of other species “participated” in that experiment, there is no doubt that the great white shark has fine hearing.

Also predators are endowed with a good sense of smell. In order to smell the blood, the shark does not need to get too close to its prey. A bleeding victim at a distance of 400 meters can only be saved thanks to his excellent dexterity. Here is a curious fact: scientists have found that the olfactory bulb of the great white shark is larger than the part of the brain responsible for the sense of smell in all its fellow species. If we talk about the vision of a predator, then it cannot be considered ideal. She is especially good at distinguishing contrasts.

Additional Benefits

In addition to the sense organs that are well known to man, the great white shark is endowed with additional advantages. Lateral lines, which are clearly visible along the body of the animal, have the ability to record changes in water pressure. Thus, the shark is always aware of the movements of its prey. Well, after she gets close to the target, electromagnetic fields come to the rescue. According to scientists, all of these tools together make the great white shark an ideal predator.

Suppressing Fear Enables Salvation

Brave travelers, explorers of the deep sea know that when meeting with a formidable predator, you must be able to suppress your fear. According to statistics, in 2013, 76 unprovoked shark attacks on people were recorded in the world, 10 of which were fatal. And only one of these deaths was associated with a great white shark. If we consider the statistics for a decade, then on average a predator attacks people twice a year.

A five-meter female can have up to ten embryos in the womb. Sharks do not spawn or lay eggs, they give birth to live young. And in this they are like people.

The great white shark can live in both very warm and very cold waters. This is made possible by the fact that the arteries and veins run in parallel in several parts of her body. Therefore, the heat that the muscles of the predator produce is stored in the body, and not lost in the ocean.

Carcharodon, or as it is also called "white death", lives in warm sea waters. It belongs to the order "lamniformes", the family "herring sharks".

This is one of the most aggressive shark species, and it is they who attack humans.

Appearance

An adult individual reaches from 4.3 m to 6.2 m. At the same time, females are larger, their size is from 4.7-5.4 m, and their weight is from 1,500 to 2,500 kg. The average length of males is from 3.6 to 4.2 m, with a weight of 600-1,200 kg.

But there are also large individuals, their sizes reach up to 7 meters, and their weight is up to 3,100 kg. She has an elongated, strong body with a cone-shaped head. The body has gills and fins. The nose is the most important organ with which, like a dog, she can smell her prey or even a small amount of blood dissolved in a huge amount of water, this is about a drop of blood per 115 liters of water.

The most interesting thing about the appearance of the white shark is its huge (up to 5 cm) teeth growing in three rows. They are comparable to the teeth of a saw, thereby helping it to hold prey or tear it to pieces if it cannot be swallowed whole.

If a tooth wears out or falls out, then a new one grows in its place, thanks to which several rows are obtained. The first row of teeth is mainly used, while the back ones serve as spare ones, in case of replacement they are put forward in place of the front ones.

But the teeth, this is not the worst thing, since her jaw squeezes the victim with a force of several tons per square centimeter, so the victim does not have the slightest chance to escape from the mouth of this bloodthirsty predator. Her color is similar to a camouflage suit. The belly is white, while the flanks and back are grey, tinged with blue or brown, which gives it the advantage of not being noticed.

From below, it merges with the bright sky. From above, it is lost in the depth and thickness of the water, and from the side it visually breaks up into a light and dark spot, so the victim most often does not suspect that the danger is already very close.

The caudal fin has the same length and width, both above and below. Also on the body there are five pairs of long gills. The mouth resembles a wide, curved arc. On the back is a fin in the shape of a triangle. On the chest are long, large fins in the form of a spiral.

habitats

Carcharodon is an inhabitant of the seas and oceans. He loves and feels very good in warm water. Water should be between 10 and 25 degrees above zero.

Most often they are closer to the surface of the water, but there are cases when the fish is almost at the bottom, withstanding low temperatures. As a rule, these are large individuals. Mostly white sharks live in the south of the Sea of ​​Japan.

They also live off the coast of the American continent. You can also meet them at:

1. Cuba;
2. the Bahamas;
3. Argentina;
4. Brazil;
5. in the Indian Ocean;
6. Seychelles;

On reefs, shallows and rocky capes, she gets her food and therefore her main patrol is there, as well as those areas that are inhabited by pinnipeds: seals, sea lions.

Lifestyle

This fish loves to lead a solitary lifestyle. She must swim, as she lacks a swim bladder, to provide herself with enough oxygen. The speed is 3.7 km/h.

These sharks have a so-called dominance. Females are several times larger than males, older ones over younger ones, and large ones over small ones. When meeting with individuals of their family, they behave more than friendly, but if it does not concern some personal territory, in this case one shark can bite another, thereby making it clear who is in charge in this case.

While foraging, they rarely fight, resolving their conflicts with their own special behavior or a separate ritual. This shark is also known for sticking its head out of the water, so it is better for it to see its prey and catch its scent, which is better captured in the air than in the water.

During the attack, the shark lifts its nose so that its grin comes to the fore and crashes into the victim. After that, with the help of special movements, she tears off part of the victim's body. A large individual that attacked large prey is able to tear off a piece weighing 65-75 kg. These predators are very curious and intelligent. They can communicate with each other if any situation requires it.

Reproduction.

The shark breeds very slowly, since puberty occurs by 11-15 years in females, while in males this threshold is 10-11 years.

This is a viviparous fish, which in 1 year gives birth to one, less often - two cubs. Gestation lasts about 10-11 months. After birth, the baby shark already has teeth, thanks to which it immediately begins to hunt and lead a predatory lifestyle. Due to the large gap between puberty and low fecundity, sharks are threatened with extinction.

Lifespan

In the wild, this type of shark can survive for more than 45 years.

Nutrition

Almost everything that floats in the water refers to the nutrition of the shark. These include mammals, turtles, birds, fish, as well as:

Carrion also becomes an object of eating, such as dead whales. Hunting takes place in the morning. Predator prefers solitary hunting, but other relatives, as a rule, come to the smell of blood.

Thanks to her sense of smell, it is not difficult for her to detect even a small drop of blood at a distance of several kilometers.

After a hearty meal, this type of fish can remain without food for a long time. The exact amount of food eaten is not known for certain. There is an opinion among scientists that her appetite and portions of food consumed directly depend on the temperature of the water. As you know, in it the metabolism is much faster than in the cold.

In general, Carcharodon eats when an opportunity presents itself. He eats even if he just ate a big meal.

shark and man

This shark is one of the most aggressive species of its relatives.. She attacks people more often than others. More often than not, it's out of curiosity. A shark, biting a person, is trying to understand what it is, it also bites sticks, surfer boards and buoys.

She can also confuse her usual diet: a turtle or a pinniped, with a surfer, since they are similar on the surface of the water.

This type of fish is in great demand in the sport fishing industry. Once on the hook, it can provide tremendous resistance, which only adds excitement to this type of fishing. After she is on deck, the fishermen take her life, but they don’t eat meat like that; the urine it secretes passes through the muscles.

Security

This species is on the verge of extinction and extermination. Now the hunt is open for the white shark, as its jaw, teeth and fins are worth a lot of money. Also recorded are frequent attacks on sharks by killer whales, which turn it on its back, after which the shark drowns.