Great White Sharks Are Closer Than You Think

A new study shows that these fierce ocean hunters swim near beaches—but they don't treat people as prey
By Robbin Friedman November 30 , 2009

Picture a great white shark. Do you think of it hunting deep in the ocean, far from the shore? Many scientists thought great white sharks spent most of their time that way. They believed these deep-ocean swimmers only rarely came near the beaches that might bring them close to humans.

A new study, however, shows that this is not true. It turns out that great white sharks in the Pacific Ocean often swim close to busy California beaches. Several have even gone inside San Francisco Bay.

But the study does not mean that humans are in any more danger from sharks than scientists thought before. Why? The sharks are not interested in people.

Tagging and Tracking the Sharks

For the study, 10 scientists tagged 179 great white sharks. They used darts to attach special tags to the sharks. The tags tracked the sharks’ movements.

The tracking showed that the sharks spend several months a year off the coast of central and northern California. They pass close to beaches where swimmers and surfers gather. They are drawn to the areas by prey, like seals and sea lions. The researchers were surprised to find that a few sharks left the ocean and entered San Francisco Bay.

Minding Their Own Business

But the researchers don’t see any cause for alarm, or worry. Apparently the sharks have been close by all along, without humans noticing. The study “shows us the sharks are really minding their own business,” said Salvador J. Jorgenson of Stanford University. Jorgenson is the study’s lead author.

Scientists already knew that the great white shark mostly stays away from humans. Shark attacks on humans are very rare. Each year, more people die from dog bites than from shark attacks.

New Findings About Migration

The tags also helped the researchers learn about the sharks’ migration, or yearly travel, patterns. Many scientists believed that sharks did not swim anywhere in particular in their ocean travels. Instead, they learned that the sharks follow very clear migration paths.

In late winter, the sharks swim thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean. Many travel as far as Hawaii. One spot in the migration area has been called the “White Shark Café.” The area got its nickname because so many sharks gather there. In late summer, the sharks return to the California coast.

Name 3 facts you have learned about Great White Sharks? Remember to write a topic sentence such as “I have learned many things about Great White Sharks” to begin your 4 sentence paragraph.