There are many species of predatory fish in the oceans. One of the most terrible is considered to be a great white shark.
In fact, it is white only from below, and from above and on the sides its beautiful streamlined body has a dark gray or bluish color, so it is hardly noticeable from below, against a bright sky, and it is difficult to distinguish from above against a background of dark water.
The word "big" is also mentioned in the name for a reason. The length of this fish reaches six meters, but there is evidence, however, unverified, that there are even more individual specimens in the South Australian waters. At least, the capture by Vick Hislop in 1985 of fish, the size of which was 6 meters 65 centimeters, was documented. This is the largest white shark in the world today.
The main distinguishing features of this species are very smooth triangular teeth, a black spot on the chest (however, it may not be), and a tail resembling a crescent.
A large white shark eats everything that turns up to it, mainly large fish and marine mammals, does not disdain sea turtles, birds perching on water, and in general everything that moves. Her behavior is unpredictable, she may be frightened by the energetic movements of a potential victim and leave the hunting zone, and sometimes she manifests rare fearlessness, attacking a deliberately stronger and larger marine animal. There was a case when three pigs were found in the stomach of such a predator, how she ate them is unknown, however, a large white shark often swims in shallow water. However, her depth range is very wide, and she can dive to a depth of over a kilometer, preferring all the same coastal shelves, where there is always more food than in the open ocean.
The irresistibility of the attack is due to the huge jaws, high speed and noiselessness of this ruthless predator. It should be specially noted that one can even get injured on the rough skin of this fish, and blood is immediately captured by its olfactory receptors and serves as a signal for an attack. In movement, she spends her whole life, sharks do not have an air bubble, so they are at the depth they need due to the hydrodynamic forces of the fins. As soon as the huge fish stops, it, being heavier than water, will immediately drown, so it needs to always eat in order to maintain the energy balance of the body.
Being a viviparous fish, the great white shark reaches maturity at the age of ten to twelve years, and during its life gives up to six litters, each of which makes up to 14 young sharks.
The relationship of this predator with humans is complex. Of course, when meeting with a swimmer or scuba diver in the open sea, the great white shark perceives it as an opportunity to diversify its diet, however, people show no less cruelty towards this fish. Shark liver is considered a delicacy, as are parts of their fins, and sometimes these inhabitants of the deeps of the sea are killed simply out of hunting interest. At the same time, like any predator, this fish is a nurse of the sea, eating carrion or sick animals.
As can be seen in the photo of the white shark, the beauty of its hydrodynamically perfect body is combined with terrible jaws and absolutely dead eyes, which Hemingway compared in his novel “The Old Man and the Sea” with the look of death itself.
