Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

The Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as the 'white shark' or 'white pointer', is a powerful swimmer and efficient predator that inhabits temperate and subtropical regions of the world's oceans. Adult white sharks reach lengths of 6m-8m (20ft-26ft) and can weigh 2 tons (2 tonnes) or more. Females are in general, larger than males (Source: Burnie and Wilson).

The white shark is usually a solitary hunter, feeding primarily on seals, dophins, large fish, and sea lions. White sharks occasionally attack humans and as a result have earned the infamous reputation of 'man-eaters'. White sharks are not believed to attack humans due to hunger but instead are thought to attack out of aggression, territoriality, or by mistake (since a person on a surfboard may resemble a seal) (Source: Burnie and Wilson).

Classification:

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Chondrichthyes
• Order: Lamniformes
• Family: Lamnidae
• Genus: Carcharodon
• Species Carcharodon carcharias (Source: Fehlig)

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Habitat: Great white sharks inhabit coastal and offshore waters along continental shelves. They prefer waters with sea surface temperatures in the range of 12C-24C (53F-75F). Great white sharks sometimes enter shallow shore waters, bays, or harbors. They may also inhabit areas around isolated oceanic islands. Great white sharks occur in surface waters up to a depth of 1280m (4200ft) (Source: Fehlig).

Range: Wide geographic distribution. Found throughout temperate and subtropical oceans. Occurs in Indian ocean, Pacific ocean, and Atlantic ocean, as well as waters surrounding oceanic islands (Source: Fehlig).

Diet: White sharks feed primarily on seals, dophins, large fish, and sea lions (Source: Fehlig).

Status: Red List Category & Criteria (ver 2.3, 1994): VU A1cd+2cd. Vulnerable. (Source: Fergusson).

Links: For more information about great white sharks, see:

• ARKive entry for great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias)
• Expert restles great white sharks
• Great white shark conservation in New Zealand
• Great white shark conservation in South Africa