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Demonized by the Jaws films, the great white shark enjoys a fearsome reputation as a man-eater. It does indeed record more annual fatal attacks than other sharks, but this statistic has more to do with its instant recognition than a predilection for human flesh. Because the shark is so easily recognized, a higher proportion of attacks are reported annually. In any case, the few fatalities per annum are paltry compared to the 500 associated with elephants, tens of thousands from snake bites or millions from mosquitoes.
The shark certainly appears worthy of its fierce reputation. Stretching as long as 22 feet and weighing as much as 5,000 pounds, it is the largest predatory fish in the seas and a top tier predator in tropical and temperate waters in the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans. Large and aggressive, its favorite prey are animals high in body fat like seals and sea lions. It also preys on fish, dolphins, and whales.
The reason most attacks on humans are nonfatal, though serious, is that humans have an unacceptably low amount of body fat. The sharks literally spit them out. Typical hunting practice is to lurk until it spots prey, then accelerate quickly and ram the animal, stunning it while tearing off a large hunk at the same time, then returning to feed off the carcass. They often sustain serious damage from prey, many individuals bearing deep scarring on the head from teeth and claws of elephant seals and sea lions.
The IUCN lists the species as Vulnerable. It enjoys widely distributed populations, but they are sparse, and the shark has a low reproductive potential. It has small litters of up to 9 live young and sexually matures around 15 years of age. The great white is exceedingly vulnerable to incidental capture, but it is also targeted, its Jaws-driven fame jacking up prices for illegal jaws, teeth, leather, and fins.
Nature picture credits (left to right): Photo © Keith C. Flood (w/school of fish); Photo © Bart Coenders (emerging).
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