Great White Sharks are Swimming Farther and Deeper

[Sea Save Foundation]

New research in the Atlantic Ocean has found that great white sharks are swimming farther and deeper than previously thought. One shark traveled 2,300 miles from Cape Cod to the Azores Islands. They often dove to 3,700 feet or more. Previous studies suggested that great white sharks stay near the continental shelf, but this study shows they patrol open ocean. It is critical to know if the sharks are swimming outside the jurisdiction of countries' protected ocean boundaries.

Read more here (story #6).

 

[drbill]

In the Pacific it is well known that great whites do not restrict their movements to ocean waters near the continental shelf.

 

[spoolin01]

Interesting mystery, now in both oceans off North America, what they are doing out there, and at such depths.

 

[drrich2]

The article mentioned presumably foraging, in the deep I take it, but I wonder what all's down there that'd appeal to an adult white shark?

Richard.

 

[spoolin01]

I seem to recall discussion of that thought years ago with respect to the area off Mexico or Central America that the Pacific white sharks go to, and the then-current thinking that it was a fairly barren area, with things like Humboldt squid as one possible food source to reconcile the data. Observation that there was an apparent sex separation at the location seemed to suggest it was not for mating.

 

[drbill]

Great whites also swim long distances from the continental shelf in the Indian Ocean, including from South Africa to Australia.