GREAT WHITE SHARK

The Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias), is arguably the most frightening shark to all humans with its numeoruus teeth sharp enough to saw through wood, and its size -- the Great White is between 12-16 feet long, and can grow up to 19-21 feet. But in truth shark attacks are rare and rarely fatal, mostly erroneous because the shark most likely mistook attacked human for their normal prey - a seal or perhaps a turtle. The Great White is linked to bloody murders of humans although the studies have proved that it is not even a man-eater. The truth is that the shark only attacks its prey.

Arguably equalled only by the killer whale (Orcinus  orca) as a marine macropredator, the great white shark occupies a cosmopolitan range throughout temperate seas and oceans and will occasionally penetrate tropical zones.

Principally a dweller of continental shelf waters, it is found from the surfline to well offshore, at the surface and to depths over 250m including on the bottom.

It commonly patrols small coastal archipelagos inhabited by seals and sealions, or waters off rocky headlands where deepwater lies close to shore, and regularly haunts offshore fish reefs, banks and shoals.

It is sometimes encountered far from land, out in the great ocean basins.

Overall population estimates are unknown, although a recent regional estimate for the famous Dangerous Reef population (South Australia) is given as 200 individuals.

This rare species is unquestionably vulnerable to directed exploitation such as sportsfisheries and the curio trade.

The overall, long-term impact of these mortalities coupled to those caused through indirect fishery captures or indiscriminate anti-shark beach meshing is possibly far-reaching.

The removal of even a few individuals apparently has very tangible effect at discrete localities.  Habitat degradation (pollution and overfishing) also threatens this species and may largely exclude it from areas, perhaps traditionally utilised for feeding or as nurseries,  where it was historically much more abundant.