Great Whites are the largest predatory fish on the earth. They grow to an average of 15 ft in lenth, but sharks over 20 ft and weighing around 5,000 lbs have been recorded. They have gray upper bodies which blend into the sea floor, but they get their name from their white stomaches. They are stream-lined, torpedo-shaped swimmers with powerful tails that can propel them through the water at up to 15 mph. They can leave the water completely, breaching like whales when attacking prey from underneath. Highly adapted predators, their mouths have 300 serrated, triangular teeth arranged in several rows, and they have a sharp sense of smell to detect prey. They even have organs that can sense the tiny electromagnetic fields generated by animals. Their main prey list includes sea lions, seals, small-toothed whales, and even sea turtles, and carrion. Found in cool, coastal waters throughout the world, there's no reliable data on the Great White's population. However, we know that their numbers are decreasing, due to over-fishing and accidental catching in nets, so they are listed as endangered species.
Credits go to: National Geographic
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