Basking sharks, renowned for their immense size, rank as the second-largest fish globally, dwarfing most of their shark counterparts. These gentle giants can grow up to a staggering 9 meters (30 feet) or more. What sets them apart is their slender physique, which grants them an elegant and graceful presence in the water. However, their most distinctive characteristic is their colossal, wide-open mouth, a hallmark of their filter-feeding strategy.
Basking sharks are unique due to their lack of aggression towards humans. Despite their size and numerous rows of non-functional teeth, they pose no threat. These docile filter feeders leisurely patrol the ocean’s surface, mouths agape, employing a specialized feeding technique called “ram filtration.” In this process, they filter vast volumes of water to capture minuscule plankton and other microscopic organisms as their primary source of sustenance. Remarkably, this method allows basking sharks to consume copious amounts of plankton while expending minimal energy.
Despite their imposing size and colossal dimensions, basking sharks are notably slow swimmers due to their unique filter-feeding strategy. Their deliberate slowness is essential for maintaining a steady water flow through their gills, ensuring efficient feeding. This strategy enables them to consume substantial quantities of plankton while utilizing their enormous dimensions to maximize their intake. Their slow swimming speed is a specialized adaptation that allows them to thrive on a diet of tiny organisms, highlighting the fascinating interplay between their size and feeding strategy in the marine ecosystem.
Distribution
Atlantic Ocean
Indian Ocean
Pacific Ocean
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Angola
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Argentina
Aruba
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bonaire Sint Eustatius And Saba
Bosnia And Herz.
Brazil
British Virgin Is.
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Colombia
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Curaçao
Cyprus
Côte D’ivoire
DR Congo (Kinshasa)
Denmark
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gabon
Gambia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Isle Of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey
Kiribati
Korea
Lebanon
Liberia
Libya
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mexico
Micronesia
Monaco
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nauru
Navassa Island
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Nort. Mariana Is.
North Korea
Norway
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Russia
Saint Helena
Samoa
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Spain
Suriname
Sweden
Syria
São Tomé & Príncipe
Taiwan
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad & Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turks & Caicos
Tuvalu
US Minor Is.
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Wallis & FutunaAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
