Great White Shark

Identification

The great white is the largest predatory fish in the ocean (aside from the plankton-feeding whale shark). Confirmed specimens reach 6 meters and over 2,000 kg; unconfirmed reports exist of larger animals. Adults are grey above with a sharp demarcation line to the white underside. The teeth are triangular, serrated, and used for shearing large prey.

Distribution & Habitat

Great whites are found in temperate and subtropical seas worldwide. Major populations occur off South Africa (Gansbaai, Mossel Bay), Guadalupe Island in Mexico, South and Western Australia, New Zealand, California, and New England.

Behavior

Great whites are ambush predators that target marine mammals — particularly seals and sea lions — with explosive vertical attacks launched from below. They also consume fish, smaller sharks, and carrion. Satellite tagging has revealed long migrations, including regular journeys between California and an open-ocean area nicknamed the "White Shark Cafe" halfway to Hawaii.

Where to See Them

The only truly reliable encounters today are at Guadalupe Island (Mexico) from late summer to early winter and parts of South Africa and South Australia via cage diving. Mexico banned cage diving at Guadalupe in 2022 to protect the population, so Neptune Islands (South Australia) and South African sites are the current options. These encounters are always from inside a surface or bottom cage.