The 4 Largest Sharks In The World
Everything that surrounds the world of sharks transmits fear or, at least, respect. They are extraordinary animals, capable of traveling enormous distances in search of prey to sink their teeth into. But the biggest sharks are the ones that take the cake and the ones that appear in every surfer’s nightmares.
The largest sharks on the planet
The list of sharks is huge, and not all of them are hunters as you might imagine them at first. The behavior of each other is very different, and their food source can also be radically different. In fact, there are some that, despite their appearance, are totally harmless.
Tiger shark
The tiger shark enters the ranking of the largest sharks in the world thanks to its 5.5 meters in length. Its weight can reach 600 kilograms, although some specimen has been found that exceeds that figure.
Its spectacular physique makes it one of the most feared species. Its huge jaw with several rows of teeth pokes out at all times and the enormous diameter of its body shows the incredible strength that these sharks have.
The tiger shark’s reputation for being violent is not very justified, since it is an animal with mainly nocturnal hunting habits ; It feeds on seals, fish, other sharks, and even birds that get too close to the surface.
Their name comes from the color of their skin, since when young they wear a striped pattern all over the back, similar to that of the feline. As adults, this pattern fades until there are slight shadows.
Its main habitat is in the tropical waters near Pacific islands, mainly in tropical areas, where the water temperature is warmer and there is food to spare.
White shark
This is, without a doubt, the most feared animal in the ocean and the most dangerous in case of attack due to the devastating effect of its bite. It became much better known thanks to the Jaws films of the 70s and 80s, in which a white shark became the nightmare of the protagonists.
The behavior of this magnificent predator is aggressive, but it rarely attacks humans, unless it mistakes you for another animal such as a seal. When he realizes that you are not what he thought he leaves you alone; the bad thing is that their first attack is usually so voracious that the loss of entire limbs is common.
Regarding size, females are clearly larger than males, with a size of between 4.5 and 6.4 meters for them and between 3.5 and 4.0 meters for them. It is enough to lose your breath if you see it while taking a bath, although that legend of man-eating shark that surrounds them is not fair, since it is a fairly selective animal with its prey and only attacks when it is hungry.
Basking shark
It is the second largest species among the largest sharks in the world. The basking shark stands out for its huge mouth, which makes it look like a being from a horror movie, but nothing is further from the truth, since it is totally harmless.
The disproportionate size of its mouth has a reason: it feeds by filtering tons of water a day to extract plankton and other small species that fall into its nets. Although if you find it, your heart will surely race …
It reaches 10 meters in length and weighs 4 tons, making a white shark look like a small animal. Despite its size, it usually frequents the coastal areas and it is not difficult to see it a few hundred meters from the shore looking for food.
This spectacular shark prefers cold waters but close to the surface. It is easier to find in areas far from the equator and, practically, can be seen in any sea and ocean on the planet.
Whale shark
Yes, the king among the largest sharks in the world is the whale shark, a fish capable of making you shiver if you have it close, but as harmless as a dolphin. In fact, it mainly feeds on plankton, so it is not a threat to us or to most species in the ocean.
Its dimensions make it earn respect against predators such as the great white shark itself. It measures 12 meters in length, which gives it the award of the largest fish in the world.
It moves around the world, but mainly in areas close to the equator, where the water is warmer and makes the appearance of plankton more prone. Although he is not a great swimmer, he travels enormous distances every year at a slow speed of about 5 km / h.
The photographs of divers swimming near this shark are very famous, but, although it does not attack humans, it must be given a prudent margin of space because a blow with its tail can be fatal underwater.
