The most anticipated week of the year has finally arrived: Shark Week. Airing on Discovery Channel in late July or early August every year, Shark Week has attracted millions of curious fans who want to learn more about these beasts of the ocean. This year marks Shark Week’s twenty-sixth year on the air and people are still fascinated with these amazing marine animals. There is one shark in particular, however, that has captivated the interest of the public for many years: the great white.
Named for their white bellies, great white sharks are the largest predatory fish on Earth. They average fifteen feet in length, but records show that these sharks can grow up to twenty feet and weigh over 5,000 pounds. Great whites have smooth, streamlined bodies shaped like torpedoes that allow them to propel through the water at speeds up to fifteen miles per hour. These sharks also have the ability to leave the water completely by breaching through the air to attack prey from below. With their keen sense of smell and hundreds of sharp teeth, these sharks prey on animals such as sea lions, seals, salmon, sea turtles, and small whales.
Although many people believe that this fish preys on humans, scientists now understand that people are not on the great white’s menu. Most great white shark attacks that occur are simply curious sharks “sample biting” humans, meaning that they bite and then release when they realize that this is not their normal prey. These sharks rarely come near shore except when attracted to prey such as herring and mackerel. So while great whites have a reputation as being mindless killing machines, we now know that they are not as fearsome as we once believed.
The great white is often a misunderstood fish and is considered an endangered species by many marine biologists. By getting a better understand of these large fish, humans can help protect them from going extinct and be better prepared when they come across one in the water. During Shark Week, audiences will learn about more than just the impressive qualities of the great white. There is so much to learn about the mysteries of these deep ocean fish and, while sharks come in all different shapes and sizes, they are all incredibly fascinating.
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I LOOOOOOOVE sharks!