Small Great White Shark Figurine

The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as the great white, white pointer, white shark, or white death, is a species of large lamniform shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. The great white shark is mainly known for its size, with mature individuals growing up to 6.4 m (21 ft) in length (although reports have been published of great white sharks measuring over 8 m (26 ft) and 3,324 kg in weight. This shark reaches its maturity around 15 years of age and was previously believed to have a life span of over 30 years. The true lifespan of great white sharks is far longer, now estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, making it one of the longest lived cartilaginous fish currently known. Male great white sharks take 26 years to reach sexual maturity, while the females take 33 years to be ready to produce offspring. The IUCN list the great white shark as a vulnerable species, while it is included in Appendix II of CITES. They have slate-gray upper bodies to blend in with the rocky coastal sea floor, but get their name from their universally white underbellies. They are streamlined, torpedo-shaped swimmers with powerful tails that can propel them through the water at speeds over 35 mph. They can even leave the water completely, breaching like whales when attacking prey from underneath. Highly adapted predators, their mouths are lined with up to 300 serrated, triangular teeth arranged in several rows, and they have an exceptional sense of smell to detect prey. They even have organs that can sense the tiny electromagnetic fields generated by animals. Their main prey items include sea lions, seals, small toothed whales, and even sea turtles, and carrion. Found in cool, coastal waters throughout the world, there is no reliable data on the great white's population. However, scientists agree that their numbers are decreasing precipitously due to overfishing and accidental catching in gill nets, among other factors, and they are listed as an endangered species. The great white shark has no natural predators other than the killer whale. The great white shark is arguably the world's largest known extant macropredatory fish, and is one of the primary predators of marine mammals. It is also known to prey upon a variety of other marine animals, including fish and seabirds. It is the only known surviving species of its genus Carcharodon, and is ranked first in having the most recorded attacks on humans. The bestselling novel Jaws by Peter Benchley and the subsequent blockbuster film by Steven Spielberg depicted the great white shark as a "ferocious man eater". Humans are not the preferred prey of the great white shark, but, nevertheless, the great white is responsible for the largest number of reported and identified fatal unprovoked shark attacks on humans. Approximately 5cm long.