Ocean · Fish
Great white shark
Carcharodon carcharias
The great white is the largest predatory fish in the ocean. Despite its scary reputation, attacks on people are very rare — it mainly hunts seals and fish.
- Where it lives
- Temperate coastal waters worldwide
- Diet
- CarnivoreEats meat
- Weight
- 680–1,100 kg
- Length
- 4.5 m
- Top speed
- 40 km/h
- Lifespan (wild)
- 60–70 years
In Pawpedia: What is a fish?What is a carnivore?
Yaman scale
Drawn side by side with Yaman, to the same scale.
Length3Yamans
Great white shark: length 4.5 m — that's 3 times Yaman's height.
Weight25Yamans
Around 890 kg — as heavy as 25 Yamans.
Common questions
Where does the great white shark live?
- Temperate coastal waters worldwide. In our zoo it lives in the Ocean zone.
What does the great white shark eat?
- It is a carnivore: it eats meat.
How big does the great white shark get?
- Length: 4.5 m. It weighs 680–1,100 kg.
How long does the great white shark live?
- 60–70 years in the wild.
How fast is the great white shark?
- It can reach about 40 km/h.
Is the great white shark endangered?
- On the IUCN Red List it is listed as vulnerable. Numbers are falling; it will be in danger without protection.
Did you know?
- It loses thousands of teeth in its life — a new one moves in to replace each one.
- It can sense tiny electric signals in the water.
- Scientists think it can live for 70 years.
How safe is it?
- LC
- NT
- VU
- EN
- CR
- EW
- EX
Vulnerable. Numbers are falling; it will be in danger without protection.
IUCN Red List
