White sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are the ocean's largest predatory sharks. The occasional encounter with humans (and movie producers) has made them the most famous. Although they can grow to almost 21 feet (7 meters), the length of an average shark is closer to 15 feet (5 meters); they weigh about 1,500 pounds (700 kg). White sharks, like some other fish such as salmon sharks and tuna, are warm-bodied -- that is, parts of their bodies can be warmer than the cold water in which they swim.

In the eastern Pacific, white sharks can be found from Alaska to Mexico, but you don't often see them north of Washington State. They hang out near haul-out sites for marine mammals, their main food. People used to believe they roamed only along the California coast. But our tags show that they travel regularly from California to Hawaii. Juvenile white sharks are found in the Southern California Bight, which appears to be an important nursery ground.

The World Conservation Union lists white sharks as vulnerable. Concerns for white shark populations have led to their protection in Californian and Mexican waters. To ensure their long-term survival, we need much more information about where they go to feed and breed. The recent tagging results indicate how little is actually known about white sharks. Also, white sharks will also provide a valuable comparison to results from salmon and mako sharks that are also capable of elevating their body temperature.

Great White Shark on Wikipedia

Discovery Channel's Shark Week - 20th Anniversary

Great White Shark.org

Great White Shark at MarineBio.org

GoogleScholar search for Carcharodon carcharias
(The results are the most recent scientific publications concerning white sharks)

Dewar, Heidi (Shark Group Leader)
Research Scientist; TOPP Scientific Coordinator
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)

Anderson, Scot
Point Reyes Bird Observatory (PRBO)

Block, Barbara A.
Prothro Professor of Marine Sciences
Stanford University

Brown, Adam C.
White Shark Biologist
Point Reyes Bird Observatory (PRBO)

Cailliet, Greg
Moss Landing Marine Labs

Goldman, Kenneth J.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Holts, David B.
Research Fishery Biologist
Southwest Fisheries Science Center

Jorgensen, Salvador
Post- Doctoral Research Associate
Stanford University and Monterey Bay Aquarium

Klimley, Peter
University of California, Davis

Kohin, Suzanne
Southwest Fisheries Science Center

O'Sullivan, John
Monterey Bay Aquarium

Reeb, Carol

Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University

Perle, Chris
Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University

Schallert, Robert
Technician
Hopkins Marine Station

Shillinger, George
Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University

Sosa Nishizaki, Oscar
Researcher, Fisheries Ecology Laboratory, Ecology Department, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE)
CICESE (Mexico)

Sydeman, William J.
Director, Marine Ecology Division
PRBO Conservation Science

Van Sommeran, Sean
C.E.O.
Pelagic Shark Research Foundation

Vetter, Russ
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Weng, Kevin
University of Hawaii

• Aquarium White Shark’s Tag and Data Retrieved, May 2005