The Great White Shark - Top Predator of the Oceans and Key Player in the Ecological Balance (00015391)

Description: The Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is an intelligent giant fish that calls the coast of South Africa near Geyser Rock and Dyer Island its home. Here, African penguins, cormorants, and a large colony of South African fur seals reside. This surface hunter often finds its prey on the water. With its size, strength, and fearsome jaws, the Great White Shark is a permanent danger to the South African fur seals. It belongs to the mako shark family and boasts very large gill slits and long pectoral fins. The largest Great White Shark ever caught measured 6.4 meters in length and weighed an estimated 1500 kg. Its sharp teeth and movable upper jaw make it an efficient predator. The Great White Shark is the top predator in the food chain and plays a crucial role in the ecological balance of the oceans. Despite its adaptability and millennia-long existence, the Great White Shark is now threatened by human influences.

Location: Western Cape, Gansbaai/Dyer Island, South Africa

Date of Capture: 27.07.2004