The great white shark is a majestic creature that cannot be kept in aquariums due to various reasons. Despite numerous attempts, they have not survived in captivity for long periods, often dying within days or weeks. Theories behind their failure to thrive in captivity include depression, lack of space, respiratory problems, picky eating habits, and incorrect water salinity. Great white sharks are an endangered species with only around 3,500 individuals left, threatened by poaching, fin mutilation, and the demand for their body parts, such as fins, skin, and liver oil, in luxury markets. The practice of keeping them in captivity is not only expensive and ineffective but also contributes to their decline. It is essential to change our attitude towards exploiting these creatures and instead work to save the last representatives of this species.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. No aquarium in the world has a great white shark.
2. Great white sharks are found in the cool coastal waters around the world.
3. Great white sharks typically measure around 4-5 meters in length, although the largest specimens can reach up to 6 meters.
4. Great white sharks can weigh up to 3,000 kilograms.
5. Great white sharks use their strong tails to propel their bodies through the water at a maximum speed of 56 kilometers per hour.
6. Great white sharks have a total of 300 sharp teeth, arranged in six or seven rows.
7. There are fewer than 10 great white shark attacks per year, and scientists believe that sharks do not intentionally hunt humans.
8. Great white sharks cannot live in captivity and often die shortly after being caught.
9. The longest period a great white shark has spent in captivity was six months at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in 2004.
10. Great white sharks are prone to depression, lack of space, respiratory problems, and hunger in captivity.
11. Great white sharks can travel long distances, with one recorded journey covering 11,100 kilometers from Australia to Africa in 99 days.
12. Great white sharks are an endangered species, with only around 3,500 individuals remaining in the wild.
13. Poaching is a major threat to great white shark populations, with their fins, skin, and liver oil being highly valued on the black market.
14. Shark finning is a common practice, where poachers catch a shark, cut off its fins, and release the animal back into the ocean.
15. Millions of sharks die each year due to loss of blood or being attacked by other predators after being finned.
16. Great white shark products, such as clothing, accessories, and cosmetics, are highly valued and contribute to the demand for poaching.
17. Laws and punishments have been implemented to prevent the killing of great white sharks, but poaching remains a lucrative business.