VulnerableGreat White Shark
Carcharodon carcharias
Cartilaginous fish · Lamniformes · Lamnidae
Isurus oxyrinchus
At very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.
It is the fastest shark in the world, capable of bursts of up to 74 km/h and of leaping as much as 6 metres clear of the water after prey, thanks to its regional endothermy.
Weight
60 kg – 150 kg
Size
3.2 m – 4.5 m
Life expectancy
30 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Irregular activity
Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sources consulted: A-Z Animals · ResearchGate (New Zealand age growth maturity study) · Shark Research Institute · Save Our Seas Foundation · Animal Diversity Web · FishBase · PMC (Western Central Atlantic age growth study)
Best time: Summer and early autumn in temperate waters, when it comes onto the continental shelf following the shoals of fish.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 20 of 103.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Shortfin Mako — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The shortfin mako is classified as endangered. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 13 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Based on what we already know about shortfin mako.
The pins mark the parks and dive sites where its presence is documented.
