Sharks are some of the most enigmatic and puzzling creatures on the planet Earth. Found throughout the world in the oceans of the Pacific, Atlantic and even Arctic and Antarctica, sharks are unique creatures found inside the deep sea. Sharks can grow up to a very huge size. Some species are very dangerous while some are harmless to human beings. So, here is a list of the top 10 largest sharks in the world.
Largest Sharks In The World
1.Whale Shark
Rated as the heaviest animal in the world of any fish species alive today, the Whale shark is a gigantic fish species found most commonly in Australia. Whale shark mainly prefers to live in warm water and feed on planktons and small fishes. It is harmless species and poses no threat to human beings, despite its huge size. Also, its incredibly large size helps it to survive long migrations to find abundant food sources. However, Whale sharks are slow-moving animals and inhabit all the tropical and warm temperate seas. Also, whale sharks have a lifespan of about 80 to 130 years. The most unique feature of Whale Shark is that they have white spots all over their body.
2.Basking Shark
Found worldwide in tropical to warm temperate waters, the Basking Shark is one of the types of all Shark species named for its habit of floating or slowly swimming at the surface. It is a slow-moving migratory Shark species that can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh up to 5 tons. It has very long gill slits that nearly encircle the head. Basking sharks are also harmless and do not pose any threat to human beings. Basking Sharks generally feed on zooplanktons and are often cited swimming close to the surface with huge mouths open.
3.Megamouth Shark
The Megamouth Shark has been named so because it has a rounded snout and a large mouth on its bulbous head and its body tapers back to a moderate caudal tail fin and has rubbery lips. Megamouth sharks are incredibly elusive and are a rare large species seen by human beings. Like other Shark species, it also swims with its wide mouth open filtering water for plankton and jellyfish. However, it is a gentle Shark species of which no attack on man has ever been recorded.
Image Source: Wikimedia
4.Tiger Shark
Reaching the length of about 18 feet, the tiger shark is an aggressive Predator famous for eating anything they find in the seawater. Also, known as ‘Garbage Eater’, the Tiger Shark is one of the largest Shark species and is named so because of its distinctive grey vertical strips covering the sides of their bodies like a tiger. Tiger Shark lives in shallow waters in tropical and temperate waters, especially around the central Pacific Island. Also, it is considered a near-threatened species because it is continuously being hunted for its fins, skins and flesh.
5.Greenland Shark
Greenland sharks are among the longest-living vertebrates known on the Earth that are found swimming slowly throughout the cold waters of the North Atlantic. Growing as tall as 5 metres in length, the Greenland sharks are huge beast but is a very soft shark. Also, they have an astonishingly long life span and may live up to 400 years. Greenland sharks are apex predators that also consume a variety of available food.
Image Source: Wikimedia
6.Great white shark
Known as the greatest Predator on earth, the great white shark feed mostly on mammals like seals, dolphins etc. The great white shark is mostly found in cool coastal waters around the world. Growing up to 15 feet long, great white sharks are shaped with powerful tails that helps them to propel through the water at a speed of about 15 miles per hour. Also, the interesting thing about a great white shark is that they have 300 teeth and yet does not chew its food. They grab their prey into mouth size pieces and then swallow it as a whole.
7.Great Hammerhead shark
One of the largest sharks in the world Hammerhead shark will reach the maximum length of about 20 feet, the Great Hammerhead shark is the largest of all Hammerhead species. The Great Hammerhead shark has a stout body shape and has a markedly tall curved first dorsal fin. However, the great Hammerhead shark has an unpredictable nature and should be treated with caution. It mostly lives in warm water and eats bony fishes and invertebrates as well as other small fishes. However, it is one of the rarest species worldwide and has been listed as critically endangered by the IUCN.
8.Thresher Shark
The Thresher Shark is a large shark species found in the wide-ranging Indo Pacific Ocean. Proliferating deep inside the sea, the thresher Shark helps to manage the healthy Marine ecosystem. The thresher shark is one of the three species of the shark belonging to the family of Alopiide and has been listed as vulnerable. Inhabiting both coastal and ocean waters, the thresher sharks are easily recognised by their long upper lobe of the caudal fin which is generally used by them to stun their prey. Also, they are fast swimmers and have small mouths and teeth. Moreover, thresher sharks are somehow timid and are considered harmless to human beings.
9.Bluntnose Sixgill Shark
Also known as the cow sharks, the Bluntnose Sixgill Shark is commonly found in tropical and temperate waters. Growing up to 20 feet in length, the Bluntnose Sixgill Shark is an example of significantly more primitive species found only as fossils. It is a large deepwater Shark that has a broad flat head, large green eyes and a small single dorsal fin along its back. However, little is known about the behaviour and migration habits of the bluntnose sixgill Shark because of the depths at which it spends most of its life. However, it is most often observed as a solitary shark.
Image Source: Wikimedia
10.Pacific Sleeper Shark
The Pacific Sleeper Shark is a large sleeper Shark with a short rounded snout, heavy cylindrical body and a small caudal fin. The Pacific sleeper shark swims along the deep ocean floor and can be generally found in the Northern Pacific and Northern Atlantic oceans. With a length of about 14 feet, it is also one of the largest Shark species found in the world. They are both predators and scavengers feeding on a variety of seafood while gliding through the water. Also, they are harmless to humans and feed on relatively smaller fishes like krills, squid and octopus and can live for more than 40 years.
Image source: Wikimedia
These are the top 10 largest sharks in the world. Kindly share and do post your comments.
