Size – average 3.7m – 4.9m (12 – 16 feet)
The biggest Great White Shark to date is 7m (23 feet) long and weighed 3 200kg (7 000 pounds)
Largest Great White recorded was 6.4 metres (21 feet), weighing 3 312 kilograms. The largest great White caught in Gansbaai weighed 2 450 kg - a female 6.45meters in length. The liver alone weighed 560kg. Caught by Hendrik Groenewald who was trawling for pilchards in January 1987. The jaw can be seen at the Dyer Island Fisheries. It is 60 cm wide and 90cm long and weighed 15 kg.
Characteristics – a dark grey colouration on their back with a white belly. The grey colour acts as camouflage and makes it difficult for the prey to see. When seen from above, the darker colors of the shark blends in with the shades of the water. Distinguishing characteristics of the great white is its long pointy snout and large serrated teeth. They have a good sense of smell, good eye sight and can detect electrical signals.
Diet - fish, rays, sea lions, seals, sea-birds, small whales, turtles, porpoises, carrion and other sharks
Life Span – up to 20 years. A single female can give birth up to nine times.
Risk to humans:
Great White Sharks are at the top of the food chain and being known as “man-eaters”. They are responsible for 5 - 10 attacks a year. The Great White Shark tends to hunt in the surf and the most likely victims would be spear fishermen, divers and surfers due to mistaken identity. Sharks attack from below and spear fisherman and surfers can be mistaken for seals. It’s extremely rare to hear of a White Shark attack when the shark consumed the victim. Most attacks end up being non-predatory and non-fatal, but often result in the loss of a limb.
Where can they be found?
South Africa – Gansbaai
The cold water temperatures of the Benguela current in the Atlantic Ocean are ideal habitat for the cold blooded sharks.
The Great White Shark is one of the most feared and misunderstood animals on this planet. It is a mysterious animal of which little is known. This fascinating creature is protected in many countries. South Africa was the first country to protect the Great White Shark and is now the leader in Eco-Tourism with, on average over 100 people a day traveling to Gansbaai and Cape Town to see these wonderful animals.
The Great White Shark is enormous in size and powerful enough to thrust completely airborne out of the water with a twitch of the tail when taking its prey (breaching). They have incredible senses including being the only shark to be able to 'Spy hop'. This is when they lift their head out of the water to apparently look for prey. The shark makes its swift, surprise attack from below and behind, leaping out of the water making a terrifying, brief, shocking appearance from nowhere. Having struck with awesome power, it falls backwards, using the forces of gravity and its incredibly powerful body to move away from the boat and descends into the depths of the ocean, its elegant torpedo-shaped body leaving not even a ripple on the surface.
The best time to come and see the White Sharks in South Africa is from April – September. During this time the waters along the coastline warm up despite the outside temperature cooling. The sharks are around Dyer Island and Geyser Rock during the winter months attracted by the protein rich Cape Fur Seals found in these waters. |
