Statistics
• Second largest shark in the world
• Can grow as long as 40 feet
• Can weigh as much as 19 tons
The basking shark is not a predatory shark but a filter feeder, meaning it pushes water through its gills, filtering out plankton and small invertebrate fish. It is the second largest shark in the world, second only to the Whale Shark. It is a slow moving, harmless shark that lives in all of the world’s oceans. In winter, basking sharks move to depths of up to 3,000 ft to feed on deep water plankton. They can filter as much as 1,800 tons of water per hour.
They have a typical ‘shark’ body type and have been mistaken for the Great White. Commonly, their coloring is dark brown or black, fading to a dull white at its belly.
Basking Sharks do not evade approaching boats (unlike great white sharks). They are harmless to humans if left alone and are not attracted to chum.
Reproduction
Basking sharks are ovoviviparous: the developing embryos first rely on a yolk sac, and there is no placental connection. Gestation is thought to span over a year (perhaps 2 or 3 years), with a small though unknown number of young born fully developed at 4 ft 10 in–6 ft 7 in. Only one pregnant female is known to have been caught; she was carrying 6 unborn young. Mating is thought to occur in early summer and birthing in late summer, following the female's movement into shallow waters.
Other facts
The name basking shark is derived from their habit of frequenting the warmer water on the surface, as they look like they're basking in the sun.
Basking sharks are found in cold to warm temperate waters across the globe. They can be seen singly or in groups (of up to 100 members) near the surface of the water. Basking sharks are mostly seen from the surface to a depth of around 3000 feet.
Video
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basking_shark
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/basking-shark-facts.html
• Second largest shark in the world
• Can grow as long as 40 feet
• Can weigh as much as 19 tons
The basking shark is not a predatory shark but a filter feeder, meaning it pushes water through its gills, filtering out plankton and small invertebrate fish. It is the second largest shark in the world, second only to the Whale Shark. It is a slow moving, harmless shark that lives in all of the world’s oceans. In winter, basking sharks move to depths of up to 3,000 ft to feed on deep water plankton. They can filter as much as 1,800 tons of water per hour.
They have a typical ‘shark’ body type and have been mistaken for the Great White. Commonly, their coloring is dark brown or black, fading to a dull white at its belly.
Basking Sharks do not evade approaching boats (unlike great white sharks). They are harmless to humans if left alone and are not attracted to chum.
Reproduction
Basking sharks are ovoviviparous: the developing embryos first rely on a yolk sac, and there is no placental connection. Gestation is thought to span over a year (perhaps 2 or 3 years), with a small though unknown number of young born fully developed at 4 ft 10 in–6 ft 7 in. Only one pregnant female is known to have been caught; she was carrying 6 unborn young. Mating is thought to occur in early summer and birthing in late summer, following the female's movement into shallow waters.
Other facts
The name basking shark is derived from their habit of frequenting the warmer water on the surface, as they look like they're basking in the sun.
Basking sharks are found in cold to warm temperate waters across the globe. They can be seen singly or in groups (of up to 100 members) near the surface of the water. Basking sharks are mostly seen from the surface to a depth of around 3000 feet.
Video
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basking_shark
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/basking-shark-facts.html
