White Shark

Carcharodon carcharias is a large lamniform shark reaching lengths of up to 6 metres, recognisable by its torpedo-shaped body, countershaded grey-and-white coloration, and rows of serrated triangular teeth. It is an apex predator, preying on fish, cephalopods, and marine mammals such as seals and sea lions, and its regulation of prey populations helps maintain balance within marine food webs. As an endothermic species capable of maintaining elevated body temperature, it can hunt across a wide range of water temperatures.

The species has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring in temperate and subtropical coastal and oceanic waters across nearly every continent, including well-documented populations off Australia, South Africa, the United States, Mexico, and New Zealand. It inhabits rocky reefs, continental shelves, and open ocean, moving between neritic zones near shore and pelagic waters during long-distance migrations.

The primary threat is fishing and harvesting of aquatic resources, including targeted capture for fins, jaws, and teeth, as well as incidental bycatch in commercial fisheries operating throughout its range. Its life history—slow growth, late maturity, and low reproductive output—limits the species' capacity to recover from these pressures.

Conservation measures include international trade protections under CITES Appendix II, national legal protections in countries such as Australia, the United States, and South Africa, and some regional fisheries bycatch mitigation efforts. Research programs tracking movement and population structure inform management decisions.

The species is currently assessed as Vulnerable, with a decreasing population trend. Continued fishing pressure and bycatch across its wide range suggest ongoing decline unless enforcement of existing protections is strengthened.