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Great White Sharks It is possible that no other living creature on the earth has been the subject of as much undeserved fear and hysteria as the Great White Shark. As a result, it is considered by many people to be the most dangerous of any shark species. But the real story may be much different. Growing massive in size, (the great white is a solitary predator that can reach 20 feet or longer), the natural food source of a great white consists primarily of harbour seals, northern elephant seals, sea lions, as well as dolphin, porpoise, and even the carcasses of dead whales. Great Whites are also known to eat sea turtles and even other sharks. Their preferred habitat is the cooler, deeper waters of the ocean, and the waters around oceanic islands and rocky outcrops that are inhabited by seals, and where deep water remains close by. In stark contrast, great whites are usually not found in the shallow waters along sandy beaches, where tourists typically go to swim. Finding the Real Culprit
On the other hand, in the
shallow, tropical surf zones where most shark attacks occur, bull sharks
are much more common and they may be the real culprit for many of the attacks
historically assigned to the great white. Bull sharks are common in
the murky waters along tropical coastlines, and they are known to be
"garbage" feeders that will even wonder into bays and rivers for
miles,- seeking a food source, taking "test bites" of their
prey before deciding on whether or not they have found a meal.
Great White Sharks - Mystery and Intrigue
Great white sharks have both
fascinated and captured the imaginations of both scientists and artists
for centuries, yet despite this interest their is much about these awesome
predators that remains a mystery today. Much of this mystery is due
to the fact that its preferred habitat is the deeper, cooler waters of the
ocean where scientific observation is difficult, if not
impossible. In recent years, tag and release programs seem to
indicate that great whites will undertake long, nomadic voyages across the
oceans, descending into deeper, cooler water across equatorial
zones. Isla de Guadalupe Guadalupe Island is an oceanic, volcanic island about 145 miles offshore of Baja Mexico, 200 miles south of San Diego. The island has a sheer rock wall extending hundreds of feet up into the air, as well as hundreds of feet into the ocean. Great whites like rocky outcrops and volcanic islands because the shear drop-offs around the edges of the islands into cool, deep water provides the sharks with the temperature and depth that they need, while the seals and other animals that live on the islands provide an easily accessible food source. The volcanic islands are the only known reproductive zone for the Guadalupe fur seal in the world, and are important reproductive zones for a number of other marine animals as well. The islands large population of pinnipeds makes it one of the world's top places for great white shark sightings. Great Whites in The Farallons The Farrallones are located 28 miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco. A protected National State Wildlife Refuge since 1969, the Farrallones are an important research spot for great whites. They are one of the few places in the world where great whites can be observed in predatory attacks upon seals, birds, and sea lions from dry land. Cage Diving Dyer Island Dyer Island is a small, low, and rocky island located just offshore from Gansbaai in the Western Cape of South Africa. This island serves as a breeding ground for a wide variety of seabirds, while it's neighbour, a rocky outcrop called Geyser Islet, serves as a home for a large resident seal population. Put those two together and what you have is a nice meal for Great White Sharks!, this combination is the reason why many divers consider South Africa to be the one of the world's top shark diving destinations. White Sharks, especially juveniles but also a few adults, are seen on a regular basis in the channel between the two islands where they feed on a variety of seals, seabirds, and penguins. South Africa's Dyer Island ranks as one of the best places in the world to go cage diving with great whites! The Neptune Islands The Neptune Islands sit on a shelf south east of Port Lincoln of South Australia. A small group of rocky islands composed of grey granite and coastal loam, the Neptune islands are known to support an array of wildlife, including many birds species, a large colony of fur seals, as well as a colony of endangered Australian sea lions. Known as the place where the hit movie "Jaws" was filmed, the waters around these islands are a natural feeding area for Great Whites.
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Top
Shark Diving
Many
sharks have a global habitat Hammerhead Sharks
There are several different types
of sharks referred to as hammerheads, for example, there is the Winghead
Shark, the Scalloped Hammerhead, the Great Hammerhead, and the Smooth
Hammerhead, ranging in size from 5 feet up to 15 feet long, with rare
appearances of individuals (in the case of the Great Hammerhead) of up to
20 feet long! Sand Tiger Sharks
The Sand Tiger is yet another
species with an undeserved bad reputation. It's
ferocious reputation is based on the fact that this shark is frequently
guilty of attacks Galapagos Sharks
Few sharks can rival the beauty and
classic shark "form" of the Galapagos Shark. Getting it's
name from it's original discovery in waters off of Reef Sharks
There are several sharks shark
Whale Sharks
The whale shark is the largest
known fish in the sea, reaching a massive size in excess of 40 feet in
length! It can weigh as much as ten tons!
Since they frequently feed in relatively shallow waters around reefs, free diving
or scuba diving with this fish is possible.
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This is your year to meet "Mystery" at Isla Guadalupe
Email us at
staff@divingwithsharks.com or call us anytime 619.565.0208
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