Exciting Encounter: Australian Great White Sharks Amaze and Astonish Swimmers

Aussie fishermen's encounter with curious great white shark

The great white sharks, known by various names such as great whites, white pointers, white sharks, or white death, are the most terrifying and feared predators of the ocean. They can be found along the coasts of Australia. Great white sharks typically measure between 3.5 to over 5 meters (11.5 to 16+ feet) in length and weigh an average of 1,300 kg (2,870 pounds) or more. These sharks have a grayish color on the upper part of their bodies and white underneath. The largest reliably measured great white shark was an individual of 6.0 meters (19.7 feet) reported from Ledge Point, Western Australia, in 1987. However, an even larger specimen measuring 6.4 meters (21 feet) in length and weighing approximately 3,324 kg (7,330 pounds) was verified by TC Tricas and J. E. McCosker in 1984. Another unconfirmed report claims that a great white shark captured near Kangaroo Island, Australia, in April 1987, is estimated to be over 7 meters (23 feet) long.

Great white sharks, like all other sharks, possess an additional sense provided by Lorenzini’s ampullae, which allows them to detect the electromagnetic field generated by the movement of live animals. They are incredibly sensitive and can detect an electric field as weak as half a billionth of a volt. Even the faint electric pulse emitted by a heartbeat can be detected by these sharks. Most fish have a less developed but similar sense known as the lateral line, which helps them perceive their environment. On occasion, great white sharks have attacked and even sunk boats, sometimes targeting vessels up to 10 meters (33 feet) in length. They usually strike or toss people overboard, often approaching the boat from the stern.

White sharks are carnivorous predators and feed on various marine creatures such as fish (including tuna and other sharks), cetaceans (such as dolphins, porpoises, and whales), pinnipeds (including seals, sea lions, and fur seals), sea turtles, sea otters, and seabirds. They are also known to ingest indigestible objects. When reaching a length of approximately 4 meters (13 feet), great white sharks primarily target marine mammals as their prey, preferring those with a high fat content for energy. In an experiment, shark experts used a rod and reel platform and carcasses of a seal, a pig, and a sheep behind their boat. The sharks attacked all three baits but rejected the sheep carcass.

The reasons behind shark attacks on humans are not fully understood. Despite millions of people swimming in Australian waters every day, there is only one fatal shark attack per year. Humans are not considered the preferred food source for sharks, as they are known to prefer seal meat. Some scientists speculate that fatal shark attacks occur when sharks mistake humans for seals. Others argue that sharks have brains large enough to distinguish between humans and seals, suggesting that a combination of factors may contribute to these incidents and vary from case to case. Great white sharks also engage in bite-testing buoys, floating debris, and other unknown objects, and they may grab a human or a surfboard for investigation.

Australia has witnessed 195 known fatal shark attacks. In July 1945, over 900 men aboard the U.S. warship USS Indianapolis, carrying crucial components and enriched uranium for the “Little Boy” atomic bomb later dropped on Hiroshima, were stranded in the Pacific Ocean after the ship was split in two by Japanese torpedoes. When rescuers arrived four days later, they discovered that 579 men had died, many of whom had been mutilated by circling sharks.