‘Very chunky’ great white shark has researchers in awe

Cape Cod-based researchers were astonished recently, while reviewing footage, to spot a male great white shark with such extraordinary (...)

Researchers were astonished recently, while reviewing footage, to spot a male great white shark with such extraordinary girth.

The largest and fattest white sharks are females, especially during pregnancies. (They can measure nearly 20 feet and weigh 5,000-plus pounds.)

The accompanying image was captured by the Cape Cod-based Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, which commented this week on Facebook:

“There are some sharks that make our data team stop and take a double-take. One of our data team members was analyzing GoPro footage, they came across this very chunky, male, white shark.”

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White sharks are ambush feeders that prey largely on seals and other pinnipeds. They’ll also feast on whale carcasses if the opportunity arrises. So it stands to reason that male sharks might exhibit considerably more girth after mealtime.

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy added: “Our data team can assume that the shark recently ate due to the size of its stomach.”

–White shark image courtesy of Atlantic White Shark Conservancy