Great White Shark

This week's Featured Creature is the Great White Shark ( Carcharodon carcharias - Greek for "Ragged Tooth"). I know that this is the third fish I have written about and that I need to start including some of our mammal friends but I was compelled to write about this wonderful animal because 1) I've been getting requests for local California animals (which the GWS is) and 2) because I read a most disturbing article of a man who beat a baby GWS in Australia. Please click the link below to read for yourself.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/anger-and-tears-as-protected-baby-great-white-shark-blugeoned-to-death-at-sussex-inlet-in-front-of-children/story-fn7x8me2-1226243436984

Although the GWS is protected in South Africa, Australia, United States and Namibia, it still carries a status of "Vulnerable."

This shark is found throughout the world's oceans. It's body is a cartilaginous skeleton with a distinguished pointed snout, two large pectoral fins and a tall triangular dorsal fin. The skin tone is gray to bronze on the dorsal (back/top) side and white on the ventral (belly) side and reaches a typical length of 15 ft. It's snout contains special sensors that help it detect movement in the water. The GWS is typically a solitary animal although it has been seen in small groups.

The GWS was made famous by the book/movie "JAWS." Although it is known for attacking people, it's primary diet is fish, turtles, small dolphins and seals and sea lions. Off the coast of South Africa, the GWS is known for making amazing areal leaps in order to catch sea lions.

There are three areas in the world were GWS attacks are primary. This includes South Africa (49 non fatal attacks, 8 deaths), Australia (43 non fatal attacks, 27 deaths) and the United States West Coast (88 non fatal attacks, 7 fatalities).  There are various theories as to why GWS attack humans. One thought is that humans (especially on surfboards) have the same silhouette as a seal on the surface of the water. GWS are naturally inquisitive animals and have a tendency to investigate human activities. Sharks figure out what things are by tasting them. Many attacks are not to be seen as aggressive behavior but rather curiosity. Young GWS tend to be more "frisky" than the more experienced adults.

Mankind tends to be more of a threat to the GWS than the GWS is to us. As stated before, GWS are protected off of certain coasts but is still hunted in other parts of the world. Sport fishing has increased against the GWS, as well as Shark fining and sheer ignorance (as shown in the article above). Do to the slow reproduction rates, humans fear and ignorance of this animal has lead it to it's "Vulnerable" state. GWS, as well as any shark, are vital components to the ecosystem. They keep animal populations in check and "clean" the ocean of dead animals. Without sharks, the ocean world would actually collapse on itself.

Recent studies of the GWS has actually shown that these animals have personalities and are not just "mindless killing machines." Mik "Sharkman" Rutzen aims to show that these animals are intelligent, gentle animals. *Please see video below*

Things we can do to protect the GWS: educate, educate people around you that ALL sharks are important for a clean, healthy ocean. Do not support places that serve shark fin soup. Clean up trash around you, including fishing line and drift nets.

Fun Fact 1: The shark responsible 1916 attacks off the coast of New Jersey, which inspired the book/movie "JAWS," is now thought to have been a Bull shark, not a Great White Shark.

 Fun Fact 2: Late author Peter Benchley ("JAWS") had said he wished he had not written the book due to the increased negativity and hunting of sharks.


Video of Mike Rutzen riding the dorsal fin of a GWS *NOTE: Please do NOT try this yourself. He has been studying GWS his whole life*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnYvgyzy1b4