Scovone Star Magazine 2013-2014 | Page 11

Jake Zielinski Great white sharks Bloodthisty beast or freindly fish? jumping great white sharks Great white sharks are very fascinating creatures. Great white sharks are one of the three most fierce sharks in the ocean the bull shark and the tiger shark are the other two. Great white sharks use their speed and coloring to help them hunt. They are blue-gray on the dorsal, which is the top of the body. This helps them to blend in with the ocean when viewed from above. The belly, or ventral of the great white shark is white, which makes them hard to see from below. Adult great white sharks can swim up to 43 miles per hour. Scientists think they are so fast because their skeletons are made out of cartilage, not bone. Bodies Great white sharks have skin so rough that it can be used as sandpaper. They have rows of teeth that can measure more than 2.5 inches long and can number in the thousands. They also have good hearing and eyesight and a keen sense of smell. Great white sharks can grow up to 20 feet long and can weigh up to 5,000 pounds. Plants & Animals 11