Statistics
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Carcharodon
MEANING: "Flesh-rending tooth"
RANGE: Tropical oceans worldwide
LENGTH: 6 meters (20 feet) or more
WEIGHT: 2,300 kilograms (2.5 tons) or more
DIET: Fish, seals, sea lions, and other large sea animals
Description
Sharks strike terror into the hearts of many humans. The best-known and most fearsome sharks are the Great Whites, which are famous for their "no-nonsense" feeding style. They attack directly and straightforwardly, because their prey - seals and sea lions - are themselves alert, agile, and aggressive animals. Great White Sharks also feed on carrion, such as the remains of dead whales. Huge triangular, serrated teeth allow the sharks to tear large chunks of meat from their prey.
The Great White Shark is a most efficient swimmer, with a body so streamlined that is has been adapted for naval submarine design. A large, oil-filled liver - an excellent source of vitamin D - buoys the shark in the water and keeps it from sinking. Besides sighting prey with its eyes, the Great White Shark can smell it with small nostril-like pits on its snout. With its sensitive nerves in its muscles, it can also detect the tiny electric currents emitted by swimming animals.
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