Basking Shark Facts

Basking sharks are slow moving sharks that belong to the family Cetorhinidae and the genus Cetorhinus. In fact, it is the only member of this family and is the second largest fish in the world, after the whale shark. These sharks are often seen feeding underneath the surface of the water. The name basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is derived from their habit of frequenting the warmer water on the surface, as they look like they're basking in the sun. The name of the genus - Cetorhinus comes from the Greek word ketos, which means marine monster and rhinos means nose (basking shark has big snout). The name of the species - maximus means greatest in Latin. Scroll down for more basking shark facts, regarding its appearance, distribution, habitat, feeding habits, etc.

Basking Shark - Physical Features

Now, we know that the basking shark is the second largest fish in the world. These sharks can grow up to a length of ten meters, but, some of them have a body length of 11 to 13 meters too. An average adult basking shark can have a body weight of around 9000 pounds (4 tons). It has been observed that female basking sharks are bigger in size, as compared to the males. Basking sharks have a grayish brown body color, with some of them having paler shades underneath. Some basking sharks may have a black or bluish body color too. Even though, they have the typical body shape of sharks, basking sharks can be distinguished with their unique features. This includes their long, conical and pointed snout. In juveniles, the snout appears to be hooked and longer.

Another distinct feature of these sharks is the five big gill slits on the either side of the head. The gill slits runs from the top to the bottom of the head. These gills have thousands of bristle-like gill rakers, that help them to filter the food floating in the water. These gill rakers are shed periodically. They have very large mouths, that can be opened to a width of up to one meter. It is said that basking sharks have numerous teeth, which are small and hooked. The large mouth is one of the basking shark adaptations that help them to fetch food. These sharks are often seen with their mouth open wide, exposing the gill slits. The tail fin resembles a crescent moon in shape and both the dorsal and pectoral fins are also very large (up to two meters) in size. The skin is covered with placoid scales and the whole body has a mucus layer cover. Another special feature of basking sharks is their large liver, which amounts to above one-fourth of the total body weight. This huge liver provides buoyancy to this giant cartilaginous shark.

Distribution, Habitat and Feeding Habits

Basking sharks are found in cold to warm temperate waters across the globe. They can be seen singly or in groups (of up to 100 members) near the surface of the water. Basking sharks are mostly seen from the surface to a depth of around 3000 feet. However, these sharks are found to be migratory, as they move thousands of kilometers, especially during the winters. They are often seen in regions with a high plankton concentration. It has been observed that the habitat of basking sharks are mainly situated close to land, such as bays. These giant sharks are slow-moving, but, sometimes, they are found somersaulting in the water. These sharks are harmless to humans and basking shark attacks are also very rarely reported.

As far as the feeding habits are concerned, basking sharks are filter feeders. They swim around with their mouth open and the gill rakers erect. It has been observed that these sharks can filter around 1800 tons of water per hour. The gill rakers filter the food from the passing water. Zoo plankton is the preferred food for basking sharks, but, they also feed on the small fish, fish eggs and invertebrates that are filtered by the gill rakers. After filtering, the water is expelled through the five pairs of gills. It is said that these sharks possess olfactory bulbs, that guide them to regions with a high plankton concentration.

Now, you know more about basking shark facts. Another basking shark fact is that these sharks are ovoviviparous (producing living young from eggs that hatch within the body). Basking shark predators include orcas (killer whales) and tiger sharks. But, the main threat to this species is human hunting. These sharks were hunted for their liver, meat, fins and cartilage and this resulted in a reduction in their numbers. Now, basking sharks are on the list of endangered species. The aforementioned basking shark information may help you to get a fair idea about this large fish. You can also extract some basking shark fun facts for kids, so that your kids too develop an understanding about this giant, gentle shark.