Sharks get a bad rap. None more so than great whites — thanks largely in part to films like Jaws — but in reality, the actual chances of a shark attack are extraordinarily slim. Off the coast of California, a place generally full of people, there have only been 128 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks from 1926 until today. And in March, a paddleboarder didn’t notice a great white shark right behind him. Juvenile whites aren’t something anyone needs to worry about, either. In fact, they hang out near dolphins relatively frequently, because they eat a lot of the same things.
Great white sharks can reach lengths of up to 20 feet and weight up to 6,000 pounds. They generally live for about 30 years, give or take a few, and they’re one of the most important creatures when it comes to maintaining a healthy balance in the ocean. As a top predator, they keep prey populations in check.
In doing so, the great white increases the stability of a given species and ensures a greater diversity in the ocean. Females generally mature later than males; at about 12-14 years old, while males mature between 9-10 years. They aren’t looking to eat humans, either. They’re known as opportunistic predators, and when they’re young, they often eat fish, rays, and crustaceans. As they age, they move onto seals and sea lions, but will eat birds, dolphins, and even other sharks.
Carlos Gauna, known also as the Malibu Artist on YouTube, looks for sharks off the California coast in the Los Angeles area an awful lot. He captures truly amazing footage of sharks in the wild, and the footage you see above is yet another example. “It’s a sight that never gets old,” Gauna said. “A sight that I feel great gratitude to be able to witness so often.”
Since we’re often in the ocean, especially in California, we share it unknowingly with sharks more than we think. While filming a shark, a paddler zipped right by a great white without even noticing. He did, however, get a great dolphin show.
Learn more about sharks in Ocean Ramsey’s Guide to Sharks and Safety.
