August 6, 2010
Fact of the Day: Great White Shark
The final FOTD for Shark Week is on the fascinating great white shark, or white shark. Despite their reputation as man-eaters, great white sharks are actually more threatened by humans than vice versa.
Great white sharks are expert predators; they surprise their prey from below at speeds so great they often propel themselves out of the water. These sharks have multiple rows of triangular, serrated teeth, a great sense of smell, and the ability to detect electromagnetic pulses in the water.
White sharks are the largest predatory fish, growing up to 20 feet long. Amazingly, white sharks have the ability to keep their body temperatures above the temperatures of the cold waters in which they live. They can also conserve energy by lowering their body temperatures.
I hope you’ve been enjoying Shark Week as much as we have here at Oceana as one of the conservation partners. Over the weekend, get more shark info by checking out Oceana.org/Explore!