This suggests attacks could be a case of mistaken identity, at least for juveniles.
A 2021 study published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface found that to a juvenile great white shark, the shape and motion of humans swimming or paddling on surfboards looks the same as seals - one of their main sources of food. Great white sharks occasionally bite and kill humans, although the relative risk of being bitten by any shark is very low. Related: Great white shark population off California's coast is growing Are great white sharks dangerous? To have enough energy for such long journeys, great white sharks store energy in their oil-rich livers, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. In 2005, researchers tracked a great white shark swimming almost 6,900 miles (11,100 km) from the coast of South Africa to Australia, before later heading back again, Mongabay reported. A 2002 study published in the journal Nature found that one great white shark swam 2,360 miles (3,800 kilometers) from the coast of central California to the Hawaiian island of Kahoolawe. Great white sharks are migratory and undertake long-distance journeys across the open ocean, possibly for food and breeding. The biggest shark species ever was the now-extinct megalodon ( Carcharocles megalodon), which may have grown up to 60 feet long (18 m) or more, although scientists are still debating its exact size.
That title goes to whale sharks ( Rhincodon typus), which are filter-feeders and usually grow up to 33 feet (10 m) long and weigh around 42,000 pounds (19,000 kg). Great whites are not the biggest sharks in the world. Adults weigh between 4,000 and 7,000 pounds (1,800 and 3,000 kilograms), according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The largest great white sharks can grow to 20 feet long (6.1 m), and there are unconfirmed reports of great whites growing to 23 feet long (7 m), according to the Florida Museum of Natural History. Female great white sharks reach an average length of 15 to 16 feet (4.6 to 4.9 meters), while males usually reach 11 to 13 feet (3.4 to 4 m), according to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. Great white shark size varies, but females can grow to be larger than males.
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