Great White Shark | Species

Shark
Great White Shark

Shark
Great White Shark

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Overview
Why They Matter
Threats
What WWF is Doing
How You Can Help
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Overview

Status
Vulnerable
Scientific Name
Carcharodon carcharias
Weight
4,000-7,000 pounds
Length
16-20 feet
Habitats
Oceans

The great white shark is the world's largest known predatory fish. It has 3,000 teeth, yet does not chew its food. Sharks rip their prey into mouth-sized pieces which are swallowed whole. The shark’s heavy, torpedo-shaped body allows it to cruise efficiently for long periods of time, and then suddenly switch to high speed bursts in pursuit of prey—sometimes leaping out of the water. It feeds on a broad spectrum of prey, from small fish, such as halibut, to large seals and dolphins.

Places
Gulf of California, Southern Chile, The Galápagos, Coastal East Africa
Habitats
Oceans

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Why They Matter

As large and powerful predators, great white sharks play an important role at the top of the marine food chain. Despite its fame and reputation, little is actually known about the great white shark’s biology and behavior.

Threats

Extinction Risk Vulnerable
1. EX
  Extinct
  
  No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died
2. EW
  Extinct in the Wild
  
  Known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population
3. CR
  Critically Endangered
  
  Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the Wild
4. EN
  Endangered
  
  Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild
5. VU
  Vulnerable
  
  Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild
6. NT
  Near Threatened
  
  Likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future
7. LC
  Least Concern
  
  Does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened

Great white sharks are decreasing in numbers and are rare due to years of being hunted by man for fins and teeth, and often as a trophy for sport fishing. The white shark is often caught as bycatch by commercial fisheries and can also become entangled in meshes that protect beaches.

What WWF Is Doing

WWF supports research and monitoring of white sharks as they migrate to and from the Gulf of California. Sharks are tagged and the movements are tracked by satellite. This information on their behavior will help with a management plan for the protected area where they are found (Guadalupe Island Biosphere Reserve), such as how to protect them from bycatch and to regulate tourism.

How You Can Help

Take Action

Tell your members of Congress and President Obama to reject budget proposals that would slash funding for endangered species and tropical forests, clean air and water, and efforts to confront climate change.