Main Points
- Great white sharks are unlikely to attack unless provoked or threatened. If a great white does attack a person, it was likely a mistake.
- Great white sharks can swim up to 35 miles per hour.
- Some great white sharks have measured 20 feet in length and weighed a maximum of 5,000 pounds.
Have you ever experienced a great white shark bite? Luckily, very few have had to endure such a challenge. While occurrences like this are few and far between, they’re still bound to happen to some. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy posted a startling video of an encounter between a great white shark and a human near Wellfleet, Massachusetts. In this scene, a great white shark nearly bites the toes off a boater.
The video begins by depicting a boat cruising rapidly through the water. A man stands at the end of the boat when, suddenly, a great white shark jumps out of the water. The great white attempts to bite at the man’s feet, and the boaters have an intense reaction. The men aboard discuss the bizarre scene, and the close encounter can be viewed once more in slow motion.
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Background on Great White Sharks
Great White Sharks can be found all over the globe and have many characteristics that are unique to them. For instance, great whites are highly intelligent and learn quickly. They are clever and efficient, which aids them in hunting prey. Great white sharks also have a sixth sense called electro-reception. Electro-reception allows great whites to sense electrical currents within the earth’s crust and electrical fields of certain prey. Due to this quality, great white sharks have an advantage over other predators and can hunt and navigate with ease.
Great white sharks also have physical characteristics that aid them in catching prey. Their sense of smell is acute and impressive. If a single drop of blood were to fall in over 10 billion drops of water, the great white could sense it. Furthermore, the great white’s sharp teeth are helpful in catching, killing, and devouring prey. The great white has 300 serrated teeth that make it one of the best predators in the ocean.
Great whites look for prey such as sea birds, crustaceans, and other sharks. Larger species of great white sharks will eat sea lions, orcas, and seals. However, some great whites enjoy feeding on massive animals like whales and whale carcasses.
Great white sharks may look fearsome, but they are not as violent and threatening as they might seem. Most great white sharks do not mean to attack humans. In many cases, great whites are prone to mistaking humans swimming in the ocean for seals. They will attack or bite a human, who they think is a seal, and quickly retreat after realizing their mistake.
Overall, shark attacks aren’t common. In 2021, only 73 unprovoked shark bites were recorded across the globe. Furthermore, the likelihood of being killed by a shark is one in 4.3 million. Therefore, shark attacks are not something that the average person should be concerned about when wanting to take a relaxing swim in the ocean.
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