Fisherman Catches Amazing Shot of a Great White Shark Breaching the Water

A video from 2016 features a great white shark breaching the water in South Africa. It seemingly appears out of nowhere; you can barely even notice there’s a massive shark beneath the ocean’s surface until it jumps out of the water. You can then see its large mouth and sharp teeth as it lurches toward the boat. Great white sharks mainly prey on seals, sea lions, and dolphins, but their deadly bite is feared worldwide.

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How ‘Great’ Are Great White Sharks?

Great white sharks weigh between 1,110kg to 2,240kg (2,450lbs – 4,938lbs), and their size ranges between 5.5m – 8m (18ft – 26ft). It’s no wonder they have “great” as part of their name! Naturally, due to their massive size, they are also powerful predators.

Where Do Great White Sharks Live?

These sharks live in the ocean across the globe, but they are mostly concentrated near South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the North Atlantic, and the Northeastern Pacific. Specifically, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is one of the most prevalent hotspots of great white sharks. This is in part due to the large seal population in the area, as they’re one of the shark’s main sources of food. 

Do Sharks Eat Humans?

No, sharks do not typically hunt and eat humans. Despite popular belief (and high anxiety surrounding the notion), shark attacks are rare. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t happen.
Odds are, if a shark comes close to a human, it’s to investigate the situation. This could lead to an accidental attack, especially if the shark mistakes the human for a seal or other prey. Realistically, sharks are more afraid of humans than we are of them. However, among other sharks, great whites are the most likely to attack a human.