Argumentative Essay On White Sharks

3245 Words13 Pages
Along the coastlines of U.S.A, Africa and Australia, sharks, especially the Great Whites, have received a bad reputation as very aggressive predators that like to attack and eat human beings. There is a long, complex and often bloody relationship between Carcharodon Carcharias and Homo sapiens. The great white’s reputation as ferocious predator is well-earned, yet these marine animals are not as once believed –indiscriminate ‘’eating machines’’. They are ambush hunters, taking prey by surprise from below or behind. After some research about these creatures, it is very easy to accept the belief and idea that they do not attack people without a definite or convincing reason. About 300 million years ago the marine life was arranged in a totally…show more content…
Scientists are beginning to understand more about the behavioral interactions between great whites and their specific actions. When sharks feed on the same prey, it makes no sense for one to bite or wound the other as this may ruin either shark’s future ability to catch prey. For this reason white sharks use displays in order to discourage the other individuals. Sharks have been observed with their caudal fin out of the water slapping the surface, usually in the direction of the second shark. This “tail slap” is the most common avoidance display shown by white sharks. Sometimes it will position itself between the prey and another shark, preventing the second individual form feeding. White sharks have also been known to propel their body out of the water and land flat against the surface, causing a large splash. This behavior is called a breach and may represent a similar message as the tail slap. Breaching might also help remove external parasites, attract a mate or may be a result of a vertical charge approach toward its prey. Great white sharks have their own, specific acts of behavior which usually occur when hunting. By “Polaris Attack” the attacking shark performs a swift, vertical rush, often leaping partially or completely out of the water, perhaps with or without a seal in its jaws. It the seal appears to be in its mouth, it typically shakes its head from side-to-side, possibly facilitating death or performing a severe injury via neck trauma. This is called the “Lateral Head-Shake”. This action typically breaks the neck of a seal or, if dead, maximizes the cutting efficiency of the shark’s serrated dentition by sawing apart the ribcage (which is usually the only portion of a seal that provides ant significant resistance to being sundered by the sharks teeth). Another Great white’s specific act is the “Subsurface Carry”. After the seal is dead or incapacitated and other
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