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Great White (Carcharodon carcharias)

Conservation Status: Vulnerable

The Great White shark is the most feared of all sharks. Numberous films have been made with the monster being a Great White. We love to hate monsters.

It is known for short and fast attacks. To be faster it has a warm body temperature. The warming of the eyes (which can be up to 15°C above water temperature) makes them see a lot better than their prey. 

Favored food: Seals, Fish, Dolphins, other sharks. Once it has eaten enough, it can go on without food for 4 weeks.

Spectacular jumps out of the water have been recorded.

Length: 5-6m, 2 metric tons and more (the longest Great White was 6.1 m long and weighed 3 tons)

Litter size: 4-14

Major threats: Shark finning, recreational hunting. Habitat degradation. By-catch.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cypron-Range_Carcharodon_carcharias.svg

Figure: Distribution of the Great Whie

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZVbSYRC9P0&feature=fvwrel

Clip: A Great White jumps 25 feet out of the water

Copyright December 2014; Olivia Lucie Meier, Sharkworld.

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