WD Wildlife Documentary's video: White Shark - Giant Tooth Ocean Wildlife Nat Geo Wild

Great White Shark The Great White Shark is a large species of shark found mainly found inhabiting the temperate and tropical coastal waters worldwide. They are the largest predatory fish species in the world known to grow to lengths of 8 meters or more and weighing over 2 tonnes. Great White Sharks are hugely powerful predators that have developed a fearsome reputation as being one of the most prolific "man-eaters" on the planet with up to half of annual shark attacks on humans being reportedly caused by them. Also known as White Sharks and White Pointer Sharks Great White Sharks have been one of the most ruthless ocean predatory fishes for nearly 20 million years but despite their high profile reputation they are actually a lot less common compared to other widely distributed shark species. Although surprisingly little is still known about their biology and population sizes it is widely agreed within the scientific community that Great White Shark population numbers are decreasing worldwide as they are threatened by both hunting and habitat loss throughout much of their natural range. Great White Shark Anatomy and Appearance Like almost all shark species Great White Sharks have a highly distinctive appearance with large torpedo-shaped bodies and a pointed snout. They have very tough skin that is covered in tiny teeth called denticles that is slate-grey to black in colour on the top of their bodies which helps them to remain camouflaged into the rocky coastal sea floors where they are most commonly found. The underside of the Great White Shark is white and is what has led to their name. Great White Sharks have powerful crescent-shaped tail fins that help to propel them through the water at a tremendous speed and are aided by their pectoral (side) fins that are held out in fixed wings to prevent the Great White Shark from sinking. The large and highly characteristic dorsal (back) fin of the Great White Shark is used to help them to steer through the water along with diving and helping them to balance. One of the most characteristic features of the Great White Shark is their jaw. Their mouths are filled with up to 300 serrated triangular teeth that are arranged in rows and are replaced continuously throughout their lives. Each tooth can grow to around 6cm in length providing Great White Sharks with a formidable bite when they are attacking their prey. Great White Shark Distribution and Habitat Great White Sharks are widely distributed around the world but are most commonly found in temperate and tropical coastal regions but also in cooler waters and open ocean too. Despite this they are most commonly seen in South Africa (where there are the biggest population numbers) Australia California and the northeast of the United States but are also known to range into cooler regions and visit tropical islands including Hawaii and the Seychelles in areas within a greater expanse of open water. Great White Sharks are found swimming either below the surface or just off the ocean floor depending on the region and their feeding habits. Their coastal dwelling nature is largely attributed to their prey species but they are also known to travel vast distances through the ocean from South Africa to Australia and from the Californian coast to Hawaii in the deep Pacific. Great White Shark Behaviour and Lifestyle Great White Sharks are largely solitary animals that only tend to come together to mate but have been seen in pairs or small groups around large carcasses. They are highly adaptable and powerful predators that rely less on their eyesight and more on other senses in order to detect their prey. When in the open oceans Great White Sharks must swim constantly or they will simply drown. During swimming sea water is forced into their mouths and over their gills where oxygen is then taken in. Great White Sharks swim in an "s" shape in order to move through the water more efficiently. By flexing their body and moving their incredibly strong tail fins from side to side they are able to travel vast distances. Powerful and more sudden movements of their tail fins enable Great White Sharks to make high-speed dashes when chasing fast moving prey and have even been commonly seen leaping out (breaching) of the water in a similar way to whales when they are attacking their prey from underneath. Great White Shark Reproduction and Life Cycles Like many other shark species female Great White Sharks give birth to live young rather than laying eggs. The female Great White Sharks (which are bigger than the males) are thought to reach reproductive age at around the age of 17. After an estimated incubation period of between 12 and 18 months the female gives birth to between 4 and 14 pups that are roughly 1.2 meters long (or more) at birth. Great White Shark young hatch inside the uterus and are thought to gain their nourishment from eating unfertilised eggs and other embryos until they have