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SPECIES PROFILE

Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

Carcharodon

IUCN STATUS

Vulnerable

Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) — Southern/western Australia, Queensland to WA, hotspots SA/Tasmania

CONSERVATION STATUS

Vulnerable

CLASS

Chondrichthyes

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE

Southern/western Australia, Queensland to WA, hotspots SA/Tasmania

DIET

Carnivorous

HABITAT

Coastal/offshore waters near seals/fish, temperate/subtropical

🔬 Classification

PHYLUM

Chordata

CLASS

Chondrichthyes

ORDER

Lamniformes

FAMILY

Lamnidae

GENUS

Carcharodon

📋 Description

SIZE

Up to 6 meters, females larger; up to 2,000 kg

COLORATION

Greyish upper, stark white underbelly; black-tipped fins

ADAPTATIONS

Warm-blooded, streamlined for speed, acute smell

🌿 Ecology

HABITAT

Coastal/offshore waters near seals/fish, temperate/subtropical

DIET

Carnivorous

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Southern/western Australia, Queensland to WA, hotspots SA/Tasmania

REPRODUCTION

Ovoviviparous, 2-10 live pups after 12-18 months gestation, no care

DIET DETAILS

Feeds on seals, sea lions, fish, smaller sharks, whales, carrion

⚠️ Threats & Conservation

PRIMARY THREATS

Overfishing, bycatch, shark nets, trophy hunting, habitat disturbance

💡 Interesting Facts

1

Ocean Predators: Great whites breach at 40 km/h, delivering 4,000 psi bites to seals off Neptune Islands, smelling blood 5 km away. Their 3,500 global population regulates marine ecosystems, though shark nets kill 100 yearly, prompting cage-diving conservation.

2

Curious Giants: Rare human attacks, mostly non-fatal, reveal curiosity in Ningaloo Reef, with 2,000 kg sharks inspecting divers. Protection laws since 1997 reduce bycatch, preserving their role in Tasmania’s coastal food webs, seen at Eaglehawk Neck.

🔭 Sighting Guide

📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT

Neptune Islands in South Australia off Port Lincoln offer cage-diving near seal colonies for shark sightings

Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia near Exmouth has boat tours in offshore waters for shark sightings

Southwest National Park in Tasmania at Tasman Peninsula Eaglehawk Neck features seal haul-outs for shark sightings

🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT

Join cage-diving tours with operators to observe sharks in clear waters.

🎯 SIGHTING TIPS

May-October. Winter months increase shark activity near seal colonies for hunting.