Scientific Name:
Carcharodon carcharias
Description
Large (over 6 m/20 ft long) shark with a dark gray backside and white underside. It has many rows of teeth with “spare rows” in the back designed to quickly replace front teeth when they are broken or fall out.
Behaviors
As adults, these sharks primarily feed on marine mammals like seals and sea lions. They surprise attack from below or behind, but they are also scavengers and will feed on already dead animals like whales.
Fun Facts
While many people fear this shark as a human killer, they are actually much more in danger from humans than we are from them. An estimated 100 million sharks are caught and killed every year by humans. The white shark is highly prized for it fins, which threatens this species's future survival.
Nature Topics
