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Great White Shark Research Paper

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Believe it or not, there are about 440 shark species discovered in our aquatic world, however, only a dozen species of sharks have been considered dangerous. The Thresher Shark is an underwater fiend that uses its tail to hunt its prey. A more familiar species to humankind is known as the Great White Shark. Great Whites primarily use their hunting skills to violently find their prey. Most commonly found in South Africa, California, and the Northeast are the primary locations of the Great White, however, they tend to migrate to many new areas like more recently in New England. Unlike the Great White the Thresher Shark hunts bundles of fish known as sardines or small shrimp, but with one devastating swing of their tail, they can catch an ample …show more content…

For example, the Great White Shark has its famous technique known as ¨the breach¨; this is when the Great White would jump from underneath the surface of a water almost ten feet into the air in an attempt to wrangle and catch the seal that is on the run. It may seem like a wanton assault but there's more to a Great White breach than one may think. According to Animalanswers.com, it states “This spectacular behavior is called breaching, and great white sharks breach in order to catch fast-moving prey like seals. Swimming fast at the surface, sharks can reach 40 miles per hour and fly 10 feet into the air; however, breaching is relatively rare because the shark has to use so much energy to propel itself.” This rare sight is particularly the Great White’s thing, but almost every shark has its own unique method of hunting. For example, the Thresher Shark uses its jostle tail more than its jaw to hunt because it is rather weaker. With an average whip speed of 30 mph, their prey is often left in paralysis after the hit. According to NationalGeographic, it states “The thresher accelerates towards a ball of fish and brakes sharply by twisting its large pectoral fins. It lowers its snout, pitches its whole body forward, and flexes the base of its tail. This slings the tail tip over its head like a trebuchet, with an average speed of 30 miles per hour.” In our ocean, many different species use their physical attributes to their …show more content…

For example, the Great White Shark primarily hunts in the east and west US coast, Gulf of Mexico, New Zealand, Hawaii, and many more places. The Great White Shark is known for migrating to unusual places like more recently they have been spotted in some places in New England which is odd. According to Sharksworld.com, it states “They dwell in waters as deep as 300 meters usually but can reach up to 1200 meters in the zones illustrated. As it can be seen the east and west US coast, the gold coast, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, the Mediterranean Sea, West Africa, Japan and East China.” The Great White can be found in many places, but some more populated than others. Now for the Thresher Shark they are commonly found in the Pacific and Indian oceans but depending on the specific type of thresher sharks depends on where they are found. For instance, the Pelagic Threshers are found more in the Indian and Pacific waters and sometimes in California/Western Mexico, while Common and Bigeye Threshers are more found in North America, South America, and even African coasts. According to Discovery.com, it states “Pelagic threshers are only seen in Indian and Pacific waters, along with the coasts of Taiwan and the Philippines, as well as off the coasts of California and western Mexico. Common and bigeye threshers can be spotted along North American, South American, and

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