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Seafood Watch

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Seafood Watch is a sustainable seafood advisory list , and has influenced similar programs around the world. It is best known for developing science-based seafood recommendations that consumers, chefs, and business professionals use to inform their seafood purchasing decisions.

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161-619: Seafood Watch is a program of the Monterey Bay Aquarium . It has roots in the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Fishing for Solutions exhibit, which ran from 1997 to 1999 and produced a menu of sustainable seafood options in their cafeteria. It was one of the first resources for sustainable seafood information together with the Audubon Society 's What is a fish lover to eat? which also came out in the late 1990s. Due to its popularity,

322-689: A feasibility study . An aquarium was predicted to attract 300,000 paying visitors annually with a potential future increase to 500,000 so, in April 1978, the Packards created the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, which purchased the Hovden property from Stanford for nearly US$ 1 million. Around this time, Julie Packard —also a daughter of David and Lucile—joined the planning group. David Packard funded construction with an initial donation of $ 7 million with

483-637: A 1.8 m (5.9 ft) juvenile male pygmy sperm whale ( Kogia breviceps ) was found stranded in central California with a bite mark on its caudal peduncle from a great white shark. In addition, white sharks attack and prey upon beaked whales . Cases where an adult Stejneger's beaked whale ( Mesoplodon stejnegeri ), with a mean mass of around 1,100 kg (2,400 lb), and a juvenile Cuvier's beaked whale ( Ziphius cavirostris ), an individual estimated at 3 m (9.8 ft), were hunted and killed by great white sharks have also been observed. When hunting sea turtles, they appear to simply bite through

644-522: A 2014 study, the lifespan of great white sharks is estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, well above previous estimates, making it one of the longest lived cartilaginous fishes currently known. According to the same study, male great white sharks take 26 years to reach sexual maturity, while the females take 33 years to be ready to produce offspring. Great white sharks can swim at speeds of 25 km/h (16 mph) for short bursts and to depths of 1,200 m (3,900 ft). The great white shark

805-467: A 4.5 m (15 ft) white shark for 1.5 months. Detailed observations were made of four whale carcasses in False Bay between 2000 and 2010. Sharks were drawn to the carcass by chemical and odour detection, spread by strong winds. After initially feeding on the whale caudal peduncle and fluke , the sharks would investigate the carcass by slowly swimming around it and mouthing several parts before selecting

966-409: A bit less since they are more slender in build than a great white) in exceptional cases. Great white sharks, like all other sharks, have an extra sense given by the ampullae of Lorenzini which enables them to detect the electromagnetic field emitted by the movement of living animals. Great whites are so sensitive they can detect variations of half a billionth of a volt . At close range, this allows

1127-464: A blubber-rich area. During feeding bouts of 15–20 seconds the sharks removed flesh with lateral headshakes, without the protective ocular rotation they employ when attacking live prey. The sharks were frequently observed regurgitating chunks of blubber and immediately returning to feed, possibly in order to replace low energy yield pieces with high energy yield pieces, using their teeth as mechanoreceptors to distinguish them. After feeding for several hours,

1288-433: A broad, unserrated teeth is uncertain. Tracing beyond C. hastalis , another prevailing hypothesis proposes that the great white and mako lineages shared a common ancestor in a primitive mako-like species. The identity of this ancestor is still debated, but a potential species includes Isurolamna inflata , which lived between 65 and 55 million years ago. It is hypothesized that the great white and mako lineages split with

1449-405: A brown or blue shade) that gives an overall mottled appearance. The coloration makes it difficult for prey to spot the shark because it breaks up the shark's outline when seen from the side. From above, the darker shade blends with the sea and from below it exposes a minimal silhouette against the sunlight. Leucism is extremely rare in this species, but has been documented at least three times; in

1610-656: A city." Within five years, it was reported in the Los Angeles Times that it was among California's most popular visitor attractions. By 1994, it was the most attended aquarium in the United States. For its design, EHDD was awarded a National Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects in 1988. The institute's state chapter in California gave the facility its Twenty-five Year Award in 2011 and, in 2016, it

1771-462: A distinct type of animal appears in Pierre Belon 's 1553 book De aquatilibus duo, cum eiconibus ad vivam ipsorum effigiem quoad ejus fieri potuit, ad amplissimum cardinalem Castilioneum . In it, he illustrated and described the shark under the name Canis carcharias based on the jagged nature of its teeth and its alleged similarities with dogs . Another name used for the great white around this time

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1932-630: A graduate of Moss Landing Marine Laboratories , and Steve Webster, faculty at San Jose State University , thought of building an aquarium on the Hovden Cannery site. Three separate proposals for an aquarium in Monterey County had already occurred in 1914, 1925, and 1944, but financial backing and public support for the idea was not sufficient. Nancy Burnett brought the group's interest to her parents, Lucile and David Packard (co‑founder of Hewlett-Packard ), and their foundation commissioned

2093-400: A great white approaches too closely to another, they react with a warning bite. Another possibility is that white sharks bite to show their dominance. Data acquired from animal-borne telemetry receivers and published in 2022 via the journal Royal Society Publishing suggests that individual great whites may associate so that they can inadvertently share information on the whereabouts of prey or

2254-514: A habitat holding 55,000 US gallons (210,000 L), and are the only marine mammals exhibited. In 2014, the aquarium stated to the Vancouver Courier that it takes no official position on the controversy of captive killer whales or other cetaceans . The facility was not constructed to house cetaceans, and instead utilizes the 27 species of marine mammals that live in or travel through Monterey Bay as one of its "exhibits", as guests can view

2415-588: A high content of energy-rich fat. Shark expert Peter Klimley used a rod-and-reel rig and trolled carcasses of a seal, a pig, and a sheep from his boat in the South Farallons . The sharks attacked all three baits but rejected the sheep carcass. Off Seal Island , False Bay in South Africa, the sharks ambush brown fur seals ( Arctocephalus pusillus ) from below at high speeds, hitting the seal mid-body. They achieve high speeds that allow them to completely breach

2576-476: A population study in 2014; since 2019, this research has focused on how humans can avoid conflict with sharks. Scientists believe all North Atlantic great white sharks spend their first year of life near New York City, off the coast of Long Island. A 2018 study indicated that white sharks prefer to congregate deep in anticyclonic eddies in the North Atlantic Ocean . The sharks studied tended to favour

2737-802: A program for sea otters in 2017. Its work with sea otters is featured in the PBS Nature episode titled "Saving Otter 501", which aired in October 2013. Shorebirds , such as the threatened western snowy plover , are also rehabilitated and released. Since around 1998, the aquarium has worked with Point Blue Conservation Science to rescue western snowy plover eggs. The eggs hatch after being artificially incubated , and are raised until they are independent enough for release. The two organizations released 180 individuals in 2012, and about 100 individuals in 2013. The aquarium's endangered African penguins are part of an Association of Zoos and Aquariums species survival plan,

2898-448: A program that identifies genetically important birds and allows specific breeding activity to occur. Five chicks have hatched in the penguin colony as of 2014 and some of those have been sent to other accredited institutions. Beginning in June 2007, the aquarium operates a public presentation with its rehabilitated Laysan albatross that has a wingspan of 6 feet (1.8 m). The program's goal

3059-571: A propensity for "self-healing and avoiding age-related ailments". A 2007 study from the University of New South Wales in Sydney , Australia , used CT scans of a shark's skull and computer models to measure the shark's maximum bite force. The study reveals the forces and behaviours its skull is adapted to handle and resolves competing theories about its feeding behaviour. In 2008, a team of scientists led by Stephen Wroe conducted an experiment to determine

3220-607: A pup that washed ashore in Australia and died, in another pup in South Africa, and a third six-metre adult male in Indonesia. Great white sharks, like many other sharks, have rows of serrated teeth behind the main ones, ready to replace any that break off. When the shark bites, it shakes its head side-to-side, helping the teeth saw off large chunks of flesh. Great white sharks, like other mackerel sharks, have larger eyes than other shark species in proportion to their body size. The iris of

3381-562: A result of a popular component of a temporary exhibition and has grown to consist of a website, six regional pocket guides, and mobile apps that allow consumers to check the sustainability ratings of specific fisheries. The program has expanded to include business collaborations, local and national restaurant and grocer partnerships, and outreach partnerships—primarily other public aquariums and zoos. Large-scale business and grocer affiliations include Aramark , Compass Group , Target , and Whole Foods Market . In both 2009 and 2015, Seafood Watch

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3542-415: A result, scientists classified the ancient forms under the genus Carcharodon . Although weaknesses in the hypothesis existed, such as uncertainty over exactly which species evolved into the modern great white and multiple gaps in the fossil record, palaeontologists were able to chart the hypothetical lineage back to a 60-million-year-old shark known as Cretalamna as the common ancestor of all sharks within

3703-516: A second wing of aquatic exhibits, focusing on the pelagic habitats found 60 miles (97 km) offshore in Monterey Bay. Costing US$ 57 million and taking seven years to develop, the wing almost doubled the aquarium's public exhibit space. It consists of three separate galleries: various jellyfish and other plankton found in the bay; a pelagic , large community exhibit; and "ocean travelers", which features tufted puffins and sea turtles. When

3864-400: A significant amount of money for the aquarium and, as of 2024, DougDoug and his community have raised over $ 1,000,000 for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Books and journals Audiovisual media Magazines News Web Great white shark The great white shark ( Carcharodon carcharias ), also known as the white shark , white pointer , or simply great white , is

4025-547: A species of large mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. It is the only known surviving species of its genus Carcharodon . The great white shark is notable for its size, with the largest preserved female specimen measuring 5.83 m (19.1 ft) in length and around 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) in weight at maturity. However, most are smaller; males measure 3.4 to 4.0 m (11 to 13 ft), and females measure 4.6 to 4.9 m (15 to 16 ft) on average. According to

4186-563: A sustainable sushi guide, the National Fisheries Institute , a seafood industry trade group, wrote on its blog that the guides were "confusing and contradictory", adding that they did not fully take into account the economic, environmental and social aspects of seafood sustainability. Monterey Bay Aquarium Monterey Bay Aquarium is a nonprofit public aquarium in Monterey, California . Known for its regional focus on

4347-513: A symposium in January 2016 in Monterey. Over 200 scientists, fisheries managers, and policy makers gathered to discuss solutions to the decline of Pacific bluefin tuna populations . Aquarists also propagate animals behind-the-scenes for the public exhibits. Since 1985, the aquarium has been deeply involved in jellyfish propagation, creating three temporary exhibitions and one permanent gallery (within

4508-436: A temporary exhibition that opened in 2014. For the duration of the exhibition, half of the animals were cultured because of their short life cycles . A display in the exhibition showcased how aquarists rear different species of cephalopods, including bigfin reef squid , which live for only about six months. In partnership with Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, at least two deep-sea cephalopod species were displayed in

4669-463: A variety of interactions. In 2022, research in South Africa suggested that the great white shark has the ability to change colours to camouflage itself depending on the hormones it gives off. Different hormones would change the colour of the skin from white to grey. Skin dosed with adrenaline would turn lighter, with melanocyte-stimulating hormone causing melanocyte cells to dissipate thus making

4830-415: A whale carcass alongside tiger sharks. In 2020, marine biologists Sasha Dines and Enrico Gennari published a documented incident in the journal Marine and Freshwater Research of a group of great white sharks exhibiting pack-like behaviour, successfully attacking and killing a live juvenile 7 m (23 ft) humpback whale. The sharks utilized the classic attack strategy used on pinnipeds when attacking

4991-634: A white shark eating in an aquarium. At least one organization—the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation based in Santa Cruz, California —criticized the aquarium for attempting to keep white sharks in captivity, questioning the significance of possible scientific research and the ability to educate visitors. However, several independent biologists expressed approval for Project White Shark because of its logistical design, educational impact, and scientific insights. Regarding its educational impact,

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5152-520: A white shark researcher from Australia stated in 2006 that "the fact people can come and see these animals and learn from them is of immeasurable value." The first captive white shark—on exhibit in 2004 for more than six months—was seen by one million visitors, and another million visitors saw either the second or third white sharks on display. In 198 days, the first white shark grew more than 17 inches (43 cm) and gained over 100 pounds (45 kg) prior to its release. As of 2016, Monterey Bay Aquarium

5313-563: Is a founding member of a partnership between 20 public aquariums for collaborating on policy-based conservation efforts. This partnership, called the Aquarium Conservation Partnership, hosted a plastic pollution conference at Monterey Bay Aquarium in December 2016. In July 2017, the aquarium and other members of the partnership began eliminating their own plastic products, such as plastic bags, straws, and bottles. The aquarium

5474-592: Is a founding partner of the Ocean Project , which conducts national public opinion surveys about aquariums and environmental issues. And, along with Stanford University, it runs an organization involved in ocean science, policy, and law called the Center for Ocean Solutions. The aquarium has participated in several international conferences that focus on ocean policy, including the 2017 United Nations Ocean Conference . In March 2017, Monterey Bay Aquarium publicly endorsed

5635-477: Is an example of gigantothermy . Therefore, the great white shark can be considered an endothermic poikilotherm or mesotherm because its body temperature is not constant but is internally regulated. Great whites also rely on the fat and oils stored within their livers for long-distance migrations across nutrient-poor areas of the oceans. Studies by Stanford University and the Monterey Bay Aquarium published on 17 July 2013 revealed that in addition to controlling

5796-497: Is arguably the world's largest-known extant macropredatory fish, and is one of the primary predators of marine mammals , such as pinnipeds and dolphins . The great white shark is also known to prey upon a variety of other animals, including fish , other sharks, and seabirds . It has only one recorded natural predator, the orca . The species faces numerous ecological challenges which has resulted in international protection. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists

5957-411: Is closely related to the prehistoric megalodon . These sharks were considerably larger in size, with megalodon attaining an estimated length of up to 14.2–20.3 m (47–67 ft). Similarities between the teeth of great white and mega-toothed sharks, such as large triangular shapes, serrated blades, and the presence of dental bands, led the primary evidence of a close evolutionary relationship. As

6118-445: Is decent, but still poses concerns about fishing farming and management tactics. The "Avoid" category is for seafood which is overfished or fished or farmed in ways that harm other marine life or the environment. Health alerts for fish with high levels of contaminants (e.g. mercury, dioxins , PCBs ) are also noted, although they may appear in any category. The Seafood Watch website includes regional, country-wide, and sushi guides for

6279-484: Is derived from κάρχαρος ( kárkharos ), which means "jagged" or "sharp". The suffix -odon is a romanization of ὀδών ( odṓn ), a which translates to "tooth". The specific name carcharias is a Latinization of καρχαρίας ( karkharías ), the Ancient Greek word for shark. The great white shark was one of the species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae , in which it

6440-458: Is good for human health and does not harm the oceans. The Super Green list highlights products that are currently on the Seafood Watch "Best Choices" (green) list, are low in environmental contaminants, and are good sources of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids . Producers are encouraged to improve their fishing or farming habits through technical assistance, policy management, and even assurance in

6601-406: Is known as spy-hopping . This behaviour has also been seen in at least one group of blacktip reef sharks , but this might be learned from interaction with humans (it is theorized that the shark may also be able to smell better this way because smell travels through air faster than through water). White sharks are generally very curious animals, display intelligence and may also turn to socializing if

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6762-588: Is pumped into the Kelp Forest and other exhibits at 2,000 US gallons (7,600 L) per minute. At night, unfiltered seawater (or "raw seawater") is used for the Kelp Forest exhibit to maintain its realistic appearance. The use of unfiltered seawater allows animals to grow in the aquarium's plumbing so it must occasionally be cleaned with tools called pigs , which blast through the pipes under pressure to remove organisms and debris. Control systems that maintain this seawater system and other life support components for

6923-482: Is subject to debate because some reports are rough estimations or speculations performed under questionable circumstances. Among living cartilaginous fish , only the whale shark ( Rhincodon typus ), the basking shark ( Cetorhinus maximus ) and the giant manta ray ( Manta birostris ), in that order, are on average larger and heavier. These three species are generally quite docile in disposition and given to passively filter-feeding on very small organisms. This makes

7084-463: Is the only public aquarium in the world to have successfully exhibited a white shark for longer than 16 days. The effort to display captive white sharks ended in 2011 due to the project's high resource intensity . Captive white sharks also incurred injuries and killed other animals in the exhibit after becoming increasingly aggressive, and the final shark died due to unknown reasons immediately following its release. Although no longer on exhibit for

7245-464: Is the sole recognized extant species in the genus Carcharodon , and is one of five extant species belonging to the family Lamnidae . Other members of this family include the mako sharks , porbeagle , and salmon shark . The family belongs to the Lamniformes , the order of mackerel sharks. The English name 'white shark' and its Australian variant 'white pointer' is thought to have come from

7406-501: Is to inform visitors of the dangers that ocean plastic pollution causes for animals, especially the 21 species of albatrosses . Pacific bluefin and yellowfin tunas have been historically displayed in the Open Sea community exhibit , some reaching more than 300 pounds (140 kg). In 2011, three dozen fishes of the two species were on exhibit. Prior to opening the Open Sea wing in 1996,

7567-554: The Guinness Book of World Records , listed two great white sharks as the largest individuals: In the 1870s, a 10.9 m (36 ft) great white captured in southern Australian waters, near Port Fairy , and an 11.3 m (37 ft) shark trapped in a herring weir in New Brunswick , Canada , in the 1930s. However, these measurements were not obtained in a rigorous, scientifically valid manner, and researchers have questioned

7728-518: The COVID-19 pandemic , between April 2020 and January 2021 a total of 243 staff were laid off or furloughed. Monterey Bay Aquarium has been featured in two documentaries on the wildlife television program Nature ; filmmakers were given behind-the-scenes access for "Oceans in Glass" in 2006, and "Saving Otter 501" followed the aquarium's sea otter rehabilitation program in 2013. It also heavily supported and

7889-487: The March for Science —a series of rallies and marches that occurred around the world on Earth Day the following April—and its penguins marched in their own miniature demonstration. Each year approximately 75,000 students, teachers, and chaperones from California access Monterey Bay Aquarium for free. An additional 1,500 low-income students, 350 teenagers, and 1,200 teachers participate in structured educational programs throughout

8050-475: The Sea of Cortez in 1989. Most exhibitions since then have focused on animal groups, including deep-sea animals (1999), sharks (2004), otters (2007), seahorses (2009), cephalopods (2014), and jellyfish. The 1997 "Fishing for Solutions" exhibition led to the development of the sustainable seafood program, Seafood Watch . In 2010, an exhibition titled "Hot Pink Flamingos" was one of the first aquarium exhibitions in

8211-509: The Sea of Marmara and Bosphorus . One of the densest-known populations is found around Dyer Island, South Africa . Juvenile great white sharks inhabit a more narrow band of temperatures, between 14 and 24 °C (57 and 75 °F), in shallow coastal nurseries. Increased observation of young sharks in areas they were not previously common, such as Monterey Bay on the Central California coast, suggest climate change may be reducing

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8372-517: The United States Agency for International Development announced it was cooperating with the aquarium to improve fisheries management in the Asia-Pacific . Monterey Bay Aquarium plays an active role in federal and state politics, from sponsoring governmental legislation about the ocean to persuading voter action from its visitors and online followers. The aquarium was a leading sponsor for

8533-449: The marine habitats of Monterey Bay , it was the first to exhibit a living kelp forest when it opened in October 1984. Its biologists have pioneered the animal husbandry of jellyfish and it was the first to successfully care for and display a great white shark . The organization's research and conservation efforts also focus on sea otters , various birds, and tunas . Seafood Watch , a sustainable seafood advisory list published by

8694-421: The statewide shark fin ban in 2011. After the ban's success its efforts shifted to focus on marine plastic pollution, supporting successful legislation which restricted the use of microbeads in personal care products. In support of California Proposition 67 (2016) , the organization produced advertisements, web pages, and podcasts in favor of a statewide ban on single-use plastic grocery bags. The aquarium

8855-455: The "lesser white shark". Most scientists prefer 'white shark', as the name "lesser white shark" is no longer used, while some use 'white shark' to refer to all members of the Lamnidae. The scientific genus name Carcharodon literally means "jagged tooth", a reference to the large serrations that appear in the shark's teeth. It is a portmanteau of two Ancient Greek words: the prefix carchar-

9016-475: The 51 accredited public aquariums in the United States in 2015, Monterey Bay Aquarium's 2.08 million visitors ranked it second by number of visits, behind Georgia Aquarium 's 2.2 million. In 2015, it served 290,000 annual members. Free admission programs are offered for Monterey County residents including "Shelf to Shore", with the county's free library system, and "Free to Learn", with local nonprofit organizations and Monterey–Salinas Transit . Additionally,

9177-756: The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has granted two awards, including one for the aquarium's work with purple-striped jellies in 1992. It has also received the association's general conservation award for its Sea Otter Research and Conservation Program. In October 2017, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums conferred its Conservation Award to the aquarium for its "commitment to ocean protection and public awareness". Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sea Otter Research and Conservation program began in 1984 to research and rehabilitate wild southern sea otters . As of October 2017, more than 800 individuals had completed

9338-495: The Jellies, the aquarium created two more temporary exhibitions centered on jellyfish. The final one of the three exhibitions opened in 2012, and displayed around 16 species of jellyfish from around the world in "a psychedelic theme from the 1960s". Staff members attribute the organization's fascination with jellyfish to their visual appeal, primitive biology, and reputed calming effect on visitors. Terrestrial animals were displayed for

9499-649: The KANGA specimen was 5.8–6.4 m (19–21 ft) long. In a similar fashion, I. K. Fergusson also used shark size estimation methods proposed by J. E. Randall to suggest that the MALTA specimen was 5.3–5.7 m (17–19 ft) long. However, photographic evidence suggested that these specimens were larger than the size estimations yielded through Randall's methods. Thus, a team of scientists—H. F. Mollet, G. M. Cailliet, A. P. Klimley, D. A. Ebert, A. D. Testi, and L. J. V. Compagno —reviewed

9660-399: The Lamnidae. However, it is now understood that the great white shark holds closer ties to the mako sharks and is descended from a separate lineage as a chronospecies unrelated to the mega-toothed sharks. This was proven with the discovery of a transitional species that connected the great white to an unserrated shark known as Carcharodon hastalis . This transitional species, which

9821-674: The North American market, suggesting what seafood is a green "Best Choice", blue "Certified", yellow "Good Alternative", or a red "Avoid". The "Best Choice" category is for seafood that is caught responsibly and well managed. The "Certified" category also marks responsibly caught seafood, however it is more specific to and aligns with the Certification definition provided by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).  The yellow "Good alternative" labels seafood that

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9982-445: The Open Sea wing). The organization's jellyfish collections have been the largest in the world, and its pioneering work with the animals resulted in a trend of jellyfish exhibitions in the United States. In August 2016, aquarists cultured comb jellies for the first time in a laboratory, which may allow them to become a model organism . Beginning in 2012, the aquarium began to breed many species of cephalopods in preparation for

10143-573: The Port Fairy shark was of the order of 5 m (16 ft) in length and suggested that a mistake had been made in the original record, in 1870, of the shark's length". While these measurements have not been confirmed, some great white sharks caught in modern times have been estimated to be more than 7 m (23 ft) long, but these claims have received some criticism. However, J. E. Randall believed that great white shark may have exceeded 6.1 m (20 ft) in length. A great white shark

10304-519: The South African coast led by biologists from the University of Miami in 2012 indicates that despite high levels of mercury, lead, and arsenic, there was no sign of raised white blood cell count and granulate to lymphocyte ratios, indicating the sharks had healthy immune systems. This discovery suggests a previously unknown physiological defence against heavy metal poisoning. Great whites are known to have

10465-451: The United States to explicitly discuss the effects of global warming on habitats and animals. Its content was successfully accessible and compelling to the public, but the exhibition was criticized for its narrow "consumerist approach" to climate change communication —promoting individual, marketplace-based actions rather than collective political ones. At least three exhibitions have been devoted entirely to displaying jellyfish. In 1989,

10626-486: The United States. Pocket guides are available from the aquarium and further information is on the web site. Several of the regional guides are also available in Spanish . The guides are updated twice annually, while the website is updated more often. Restaurants and retailers are also targeted with an educational program developed by Seafood Watch. In 2010 Seafood Watch added its "Super Green" list, which features seafood that it

10787-634: The age of 13. Between 2002 and 2014, over 700,000 people visited for free through outreach programs. In 2013, the aquarium's operational spending and its 2 million visitors generated US$ 263 million to the economy of Monterey County. In August 2016, an event during one evening raised over US$ 110,000 for the Community Foundation for Monterey County's drive to provide relief for the Soberanes Fire . In December 2020, Natividad Medical Center in Salinas

10948-421: The animals are mostly automated, tracking various chemical parameters and reducing the likelihood for human error during repetitive tasks such as filter media backwashing . The seawater system is controlled by more than 10,000 data points. At 28 feet (8.5 m) tall and 65 feet (20 m) long, the Kelp Forest exhibit is the focal point of Monterey Bay Aquarium's Ocean's Edge wing. Nearly three stories high,

11109-415: The aquarium beginning in 1999, has influenced the discussion surrounding sustainable seafood . The aquarium was home to Otter 841 prior to her release into the wild as well as Rosa , the oldest living sea otter at the time of her death. Early proposals to build a public aquarium in Monterey County were not successful until a group of four marine biologists affiliated with Stanford University revisited

11270-569: The aquarium established the Tuna Research and Conservation Center in 1994 in partnership with Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station . Staff scientists and Barbara Block —professor of marine sciences at Stanford University—have tagged wild Pacific bluefin tunas to study predator-prey relationships, and have also investigated tuna endothermy with captive tunas at the center. To improve international collaboration of bluefin tuna management , Monterey Bay Aquarium and Stanford University hosted

11431-569: The aquarium is expected to open in 2018, and will double the number of students and teachers it is able to work with each year. Monterey Bay Aquarium received a Webby Award in 2000 for "distributing information related to scientific exploration" and has won four awards from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for its programs in the categories of education and diversity . In 2015, the Silicon Valley Business Journal awarded

11592-464: The aquarium offers free admission to Monterey County residents during a weeklong event in December, which grew from almost 17,000 visitors in 1998 to 50,000 visitors in 2013. In 2014, the program was expanded to include neighboring Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. An annual event called "Día del Niño" offers bilingual feeding presentations (in Spanish), activities, and free admission for children under

11753-528: The aquarium to build special tanks that provided freezing temperatures, high acidity, and low oxygen for animals. To lower the oxygen, applied water science staff manipulated a technique used in brewing . Some animals displayed included glowing jellies, giant isopods , brisingid sea stars, and sea angels . Monterey Bay Aquarium helped create momentum for the establishment of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in 1992, one of

11914-418: The aquarium with a Community Impact Award for its efforts to "shape a new generation of ocean conservation leaders." Monterey Bay Aquarium employed over 500 people and had 1,200 active volunteers in 2015. Between 1984 and 2014, 8,500 volunteers donated 3.2 million community service hours. The aquarium attracts around 2 million visitors each year and, through 2016, over 50 million people had visited. Out of

12075-411: The aquarium's executive director. According to a progress report during the aquarium's planning phase in 1980, the founders' efforts to build an aquarium developed from an interest in sharing marine life of the region with the public. This would be accomplished through its exhibits, featuring the aquatic habitats of Monterey Bay and central California. The idea to display marine habitats was inspired by

12236-484: The aquarium's second temporary exhibition, titled "Living Treasures of the Pacific", included three jellyfish tanks following the successful display of one tank of moon jellies four years earlier in 1985. In 1992, the first temporary exhibition for jellyfish opened, called "Planet of the Jellies", the success of which prompted a permanent jellyfish gallery within the Open Sea wing in 1996. Within 20 years of opening Planet of

12397-407: The aquarium's success at exhibiting white sharks to the use of a 4-million-US-gallon (15,000,000 L) net pen , which gave the sharks time to recover from capture prior to transport. A 3,200-US-gallon (12,000 L) portable tank used to transport the fish to the exhibit allowed the sharks to swim continuously, which they must do in order to respire . These endeavors led to the first instance of

12558-407: The aquatic exhibits replaced the cannery's pump house that brought fish to the warehouse from floating storage tanks in the bay. The facility was constructed around the cannery's boiler house , which is preserved as a non-functioning public exhibit. As the building would reside partially over water, unique challenges occurred throughout construction. Nearly half of the aquarium would be located over

12719-720: The area feed on smaller fish species until they are large enough to prey on marine mammals such as seals. White sharks also attack dolphins and porpoises from above, behind or below to avoid being detected by their echolocation . Targeted species include dusky dolphins ( Sagmatias obscurus ), Risso's dolphins ( Grampus griseus ), bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops ssp.), humpback dolphins ( Sousa ssp.), harbour porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena ), and Dall's porpoises ( Phocoenoides dalli ). Groups of dolphins have occasionally been observed defending themselves from sharks with mobbing behaviour. White shark predation on other species of small cetacean has also been observed. In August 1989,

12880-433: The bay and marine mammals from decks along the back of the building. Monterey Bay Aquarium was the first public aquarium to have its interior mapped on Google Street View , creating a virtual walking tour. Monterey Bay Aquarium began creating temporary exhibitions (or "special exhibitions") in the 1980s to display animals that are found outside of Monterey Bay. The first of these, titled "Mexico's Secret Sea", focused on

13041-540: The bay in depths of up to 120 ft (37 m), requiring foundational elements to be installed during low tide, which often occurred at night. According to a project manager with Rudolph and Sletten, excavations were sometimes lost as the composition of the ground underneath beach sand was inconsistent. Various elements of the building mirrored that of Hovden Cannery, including its windows (to let in sunlight), plain cement walls, structural protection from waves and storms, and its many roofs. Exposed pipes and ducts along

13202-527: The bay to accumulate living organisms prior to the aquarium's opening; in Monterey Bay Habitats, real pilings were obtained from the city's harbor department for the exhibit's wharf section. In others, artificial rocks tricked visitors and fish alike. With the aquarium's debut, this "nature-faking" via human manipulation did not trick some, but the " 'fakeness' did not necessarily detract from the aquarium's intrinsic value." Rescued sea otters live in

13363-403: The carapace around a flipper, immobilizing the turtle. The heaviest species of bony fish, the oceanic sunfish ( Mola mola ), has been found in great white shark stomachs. Whale carcasses comprise an important part of the diet of white sharks. However, this has rarely been observed due to whales dying in remote areas. It has been estimated that 30 kg (66 lb) of whale blubber could feed

13524-482: The carcass eating chunks that drifted away. Unusually for the area, large numbers of sharks over five metres long were observed, suggesting that the largest sharks change their behaviour to search for whales as they lose the manoeuvrability required to hunt seals. The investigating team concluded that the importance of whale carcasses, particularly for the largest white sharks, has been underestimated. In another documented incident, white sharks were observed scavenging on

13685-535: The cases of the KANGA and MALTA specimens in 1996 to resolve the dispute by conducting a comprehensive morphometric analysis of the remains of these sharks and re-examination of photographic evidence in an attempt to validate the original size estimations and their findings were consistent with them. The findings indicated that estimations by P. Resiley and J. Abela are reasonable and could not be ruled out. A particularly large female great white nicknamed "Deep Blue", estimated measuring at 6.1 m (20 ft)

13846-435: The caudal fin in its depressed position, and is estimated to have weighed 2,000 kg (4,410 lb). According to J. E. Randall, the largest white shark reliably measured was a 5.94 m (19.5 ft) specimen reported from Ledge Point, Western Australia in 1987, but it is unclear whether that length was measured with the caudal fin in its depressed or natural position. Another great white specimen of similar size

14007-589: The caveat that the private nonprofit would be financially self-supporting after it opened. Due to an expansion of its planned exhibits—after visits to public aquariums in Japan—and the design and creation of exhibits in‑house, the Packards paid a final sum of $ 55 million. General contracting firm Rudolph and Sletten predicted the building would take 31 months (two and a half years) to construct, but project manager Linda Rhodes and architectural firm Esherick, Homsey, Dodge, and Davis (EHDD) first had to design

14168-554: The ceiling also contributed to the industrial style of buildings on Cannery Row. The ironic transition from a plant that processed fish to an aquarium which would display them did not prevent the facility from appearing like a cannery, according to multiple journalists. The aquarium's successful representation of the cannery was acknowledged by the California Historical Society with a historical preservation award. When Monterey Bay Aquarium opened on October 20, 1984, it

14329-415: The closest living relative of the great white to be the mako sharks of the genus Isurus , which diverged some time between 60 and 43 million years ago. Tracing this evolutionary relationship through fossil evidence, however, remains subject to further paleontological study. The original hypothesis of the great white shark's origin held that it is a descendant of a lineage of mega-toothed sharks , and

14490-650: The coast of Cuba was at the time considered reliable by some experts. However, later studies revealed this particular specimen to be around 4.9 m (16 ft) in length, i.e. a specimen within the typical maximum size range. The largest great white recognized by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) is one caught by Alf Dean in southern Australian waters in 1959, weighing 1,208 kg (2,663 lb). A number of very large unconfirmed great white shark specimens have been recorded. For decades, many ichthyological works, as well as

14651-446: The concept in the late 1970s. Monterey Bay Aquarium was built at the site of a defunct sardine cannery and has been recognized for its architectural achievements by the American Institute of Architects . Along with its architecture, the aquarium has won numerous awards for its exhibition of marine life, ocean conservation efforts, and educational programs. Monterey Bay Aquarium receives around two million visitors each year. It led to

14812-612: The design phase, kelp scientists Wheeler North at the California Institute of Technology and Mike Neushal at the University of California, Santa Barbara informed the aquarium of the kelp's needs. The exhibit's success at sustaining giant kelp and its realistic appearance are attributed to the availability of direct sunlight, the use of natural seawater from Monterey Bay, and a surge machine (a large plunger) that replicates California's pulsing water currents. The 5-foot (1.5 m) surge machine, which plunges every 6 seconds, allows

14973-437: The exhibit also included blue sharks , soupfin sharks , and California barracuda . Six great white sharks were displayed in the Open Sea exhibit between 2004 and 2011, an effort contested by some but generally described as having a positive scientific and educational impact. Prior to the display of the first white shark for six months before its release, the longest length of time that a white shark had survived in an aquarium

15134-401: The exhibit is regarded as the first successful attempt to maintain a living kelp forest in an artificial setting. During the facility's planning and construction, professionals doubted that kelp could be grown in an aquarium at this scale. And, even if it could be grown, critics of the project did not think the public would be interested in seeing this representation of Monterey Bay. During

15295-599: The exhibition opened, the San Francisco Chronicle reported the aquarium had the most jellyfish on exhibit in the world. In 1997, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums awarded the wing its Exhibit Award. Holding 1.2 million US gallons (4,500,000 L), the Open Sea community exhibit is the aquarium's largest tank. Made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic , it is 80 feet (24 m) long and 35 feet (11 m) deep. Its largest viewing window—at 54 feet (16 m) long and 14.5 feet (4.4 m) tall—was reportedly

15456-452: The exhibition, including flapjack octopuses and the vampire squid . In 1984, Monterey Bay Aquarium's first attempt to display a great white shark lasted 11 days, ending when the shark died because it did not eat. Through a later program named Project White Shark, six white sharks were exhibited between 2004 and 2011 in the Open Sea community exhibit, which was constructed in the 1990s. Researchers at universities in California attributed

15617-664: The eye is a deep blue instead of black. In great white sharks, sexual dimorphism is present, and females are generally larger than males. Male great whites on average measure 3.4 to 4.0 m (11 to 13 ft) in length, while females measure 4.6 to 4.9 m (15 to 16 ft). Adults of this species weigh 522–771 kg (1,151–1,700 lb) on average; however, mature females can have an average mass of 680–1,110 kg (1,500–2,450 lb). The largest females have been verified up to 6.1 m (20 ft) in length and an estimated 1,905 kg (4,200 lb) in weight, perhaps up to 2,268 kg (5,000 lb). The maximum size

15778-408: The facility to fit Cannery Row. Those involved intended to reconstruct Hovden Cannery rather than destroy it, and EHDD acknowledged that the latter would be "a big disservice to our visiting public and to the community". Concrete sections of the building were able to be kept, but other areas were repurposed; the cannery's old warehouse was converted into administrative offices, and a seawater system for

15939-445: The film's animated characters. A scene from the HBO miniseries Big Little Lies , which aired in 2017, was filmed there. After comparing the aquarium's visitor feedback to the feedback of other attractions, the media and the travel industry have given it top awards. In 2014, TripAdvisor ranked it as the number one public aquarium in the world and, in 2015, it ranked second. In 2015, it

16100-465: The first time—including a tarantula, a snake, and a scorpion—in a US$ 3.8 million exhibit on ecosystems of Baja California that opened in 2016. In April 2022, a US$ 15 million, 10,000-square-foot (930 m ) exhibit focusing on deep sea animals opened after more than five years of development. The process relied extensively on technology used by Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute to collect animals nearly 5,000 feet (1,500 m) deep, and required

16261-559: The forces required to attack larger prey such as pinnipeds and cetaceans until they reach a length of 3 m (9.8 ft) or more, at which point their jaw cartilage mineralizes enough to withstand the impact of biting into larger prey species. Upon approaching a length of nearly 4 m (13 ft), great white sharks begin to target predominantly marine mammals for food, though individual sharks seem to specialize in different types of prey depending on their preferences. They seem to be highly opportunistic. These sharks prefer prey with

16422-431: The four encounters with the giant shark he participated in with great detail in his book Great White Sharks On Their Best Behavior . One contender in maximum size among the predatory sharks is the tiger shark ( Galeocerdo cuvier ). While tiger sharks, which are typically both a few feet smaller and have a leaner, less heavy body structure than white sharks, have been confirmed to reach at least 5.5 m (18 ft) in

16583-553: The great white and C. hastalis were known worldwide, C. hubbelli is primarily found in California , Peru , Chile , and surrounding coastal deposits, indicating that the great white had Pacific origins. C. hastalis continued to thrive alongside the great white until its last appearance around one million years ago and is believed to have possibly sired a number of additional species, including Carcharodon subserratus and Carcharodon plicatilis . However, Yun argued that

16744-547: The great white is a coastal species. According to a recent study, California great whites have migrated to an area between Baja California Peninsula and Hawaii known as the White Shark Café to spend at least 100 days before migrating back to Baja. On the journey out, they swim slowly and dive down to around 900 m (3,000 ft). After they arrive, they change behaviour and do short dives to about 300 m (980 ft) for up to ten minutes. Another white shark that

16905-467: The great white shark as a vulnerable species , and it is included in Appendix II of CITES . It is also protected by several national governments, such as Australia (as of 2018). Due to their need to travel long distances for seasonal migration and extremely demanding diet, it is not logistically feasible to keep great white sharks in captivity; because of this, while attempts have been made to do so in

17066-517: The great white shark the largest extant macropredatory fish. Great white sharks measure approximately 1.2 m (3.9 ft) when born, and grow about 25 cm (9.8 in) every year. A complete female great white shark specimen in the Museum of Zoology in Lausanne, and claimed by De Maddalena et al. (2003) as the largest preserved specimen, measured 5.83 m (19.1 ft) in total body length with

17227-788: The great white shark's jaw power and findings indicated that a specimen massing 3,324 kg (7,328 lb) could exert a bite force of 18,216 newtons (4,095  lbf ). This shark's behaviour and social structure are complex. In South Africa, white sharks have a dominance hierarchy where an individual's rank is primarily established by their size, and to a lesser extent, their sex and "squatter's rights"; larger sharks dominate smaller sharks , females dominate males , and established residents dominate newcomers . When hunting, great whites tend to separate and resolve conflicts with rituals and displays. White sharks rarely resort to combat, although some individuals have been found with bite marks that match those of other white sharks. This suggests that when

17388-530: The increase in seal populations on Cape Cod , Massachusetts since the enactment of the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 1972. Currently very little is known about the hunting and movement patterns of great whites off Cape Cod, but ongoing studies hope to offer insight into this growing shark population. The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (part of the Department of Fish and Game ) began

17549-430: The kelp in the exhibit to grow an average of 4 inches (10 cm) per day and was designed and constructed by David Packard. Kelp forests are important ecosystems along California's coast—comparable to tropical rainforests in their biodiversity —and, alongside giant kelp , the exhibit contains species of fish indigenous to Monterey Bay, including rockfishes and leopard sharks . In 1996, Monterey Bay Aquarium opened

17710-441: The large Kelp Forest and Open Sea exhibits, the Monterey Bay Habitats tank is 90 feet (27 m) long, the shape of a figure eight, and holds over 300,000 US gallons (1,100,000 L), a similar volume of seawater to the Kelp Forest. As its name suggests, it represents various habitats in Monterey Bay, from wharfs to the sandy seafloor to deep rocky reefs. Many aquariums in this exhibit contain man-made structures that were left in

17871-549: The largest marine protected areas in the United States. In 2004, the aquarium created a formal division to become involved in United States ocean policy and law, working with the Pew Charitable Trusts and the United States Commission on Ocean Policy at the onset. Staff scientists have authored scientific publications involving sea otters, great white sharks, and bluefin tunas, which are important species in

18032-602: The largest aquarium window in the world when it was installed in 1996. To discourage animals from swimming into the window in the absence of visitors and injuring or killing themselves (as a 239-pound [108 kg] Pacific bluefin tuna did in 2007), an air hose underneath the window generates a "bubble wall" in front of it throughout the night. In 2011, species reported to be in the exhibit included green sea turtles , sardines, pelagic stingrays , scalloped hammerhead sharks , sandbar sharks , mahi-mahi, mackerel , bluefin and yellowfin tunas , and ocean sunfishes . Historically,

18193-552: The length, an unverified specimen was reported to have measured 7.4 m (24 ft) in length and weighed 3,110 kg (6,860 lb), more than two times heavier than the largest confirmed specimen at 1,524 kg (3,360 lb). Some other macropredatory sharks such as the Greenland shark ( Somniosus microcephalus ) and the Pacific sleeper shark ( S. pacificus ) are also reported to rival these sharks in length (but probably weigh

18354-432: The location of the remains of animals that can be scavenged. As biologging can help to reveal social habits, it allows a better understanding to be made in future studies regarding the full extent of social interactions in large marine animals, including the great white shark. The great white shark is one of only a few sharks known to regularly lift its head above the sea surface to gaze at other objects such as prey. This

18515-509: The marketplace towards environmentally responsible fisheries and aquaculture operations. The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Ocean Conservation Policy team works to advance policies and management measures to improve traceability in the global seafood supply chain; eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; strengthen and advocate for fisheries management; and restore shark and bluefin tuna populations. Industry organizations have pushed back against Seafood Watch's efforts. After publication of

18676-565: The most frequently eaten at elephant seal colonies. Prey is normally attacked sub-surface. Harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina ) are taken from the surface and dragged down until they stop struggling. They are then eaten near the bottom. California sea lions ( Zalophus californianus ) are ambushed from below and struck mid-body before being dragged and eaten. In the Northwest Atlantic mature great whites are known to feed on both harbor and grey seals. Unlike adults, juvenile white sharks in

18837-419: The northern Pacific Ocean. In addition to other animals, work has been published in the areas of veterinary medicine, visitor studies, and museum exhibition development. Among over 200 institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Monterey Bay Aquarium ranked 10th in scientific publication activity between 1993 and 2013. For Monterey Bay Aquarium's captive animal propagation efforts,

18998-432: The official public outreach campaign launched in October 1999. Seafood Watch assesses impacts on marine and freshwater ecosystems of fisheries (wild-caught) and aquaculture (farming) operations. Fishing gear and farming methods are also taken into consideration. The assessments and calculations result in an overall scoring and final rating known as a Seafood Watch Recommendation. The organization's recommendations focus on

19159-567: The past, there are no known aquariums in the world believed to house a live specimen. The great white shark is depicted in popular culture as a ferocious man-eater , largely as a result of the novel Jaws by Peter Benchley and its subsequent film adaptation by Steven Spielberg . Humans are not a preferred prey, but nevertheless it is responsible for the largest number of reported and identified fatal unprovoked shark attacks on humans. However, attacks are rare, typically occurring fewer than 10 times per year globally. The great white

19320-498: The possibility of interaction between shark populations that were previously thought to have been discrete. The reasons for their migration and what they do at their destination is still unknown. Possibilities include seasonal feeding or mating. In the Northwest Atlantic, the white shark populations off the New England coast were nearly eradicated due to over-fishing. In recent years, the populations have grown greatly, largely due to

19481-473: The prey species. They immobilize northern elephant seals ( Mirounga angustirostris ) with a large bite to the hindquarters (which is the main source of the seal's mobility) and wait for the seal to bleed to death. This technique is especially used on adult male elephant seals, which are typically larger than the shark, ranging between 1,500 and 2,000 kg (3,300 and 4,400 lb), and are potentially dangerous adversaries. However, juvenile elephant seals are

19642-614: The program had produced more than 52 million printed pocket guides. Its mobile apps were downloaded over one million times between 2009 and 2015. In 2003, the program's website was granted a MUSE Award from the American Alliance of Museums for use of media and technology in science. Bon Appétit magazine awarded its Tastemaker of the Year award to Seafood Watch in 2008 and, in 2013, Sunset magazine described it as one of "the most effective consumer-awareness programs". In September 2016,

19803-594: The public, aquarium researchers have continued to conduct research on white sharks. Collaborating with Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in June 2016, staff scientists created cameras attached to harmless dorsal fin tags in an attempt to study the behavior of white sharks during their gathering known as the White Shark Café . Monterey Bay Aquarium's consumer -based Seafood Watch program encourages sustainable seafood purchasing from fisheries that are "well managed and caught or farmed in ways that cause little harm to habitats or other wildlife." It began in 1999 as

19964-423: The range of juvenile great white sharks and shifting it toward the poles. The great white is an epipelagic fish, observed mostly in the presence of rich game, such as fur seals ( Arctocephalus ssp.), sea lions , cetaceans , other sharks, and large bony fish species. In the open ocean, it has been recorded at depths as great as 1,200 m (3,900 ft). These findings challenge the traditional notion that

20125-436: The rehabilitation program and researchers have collected data on wild sea otter populations using electronic tags. An otter rescued in 2001 began the program's surrogacy efforts, in which adult female sea otters that have been rehabilitated but cannot be released act as surrogate mothers to stranded sea otter pups. The aquarium was the only sea otter rehabilitation site in California until The Marine Mammal Center began expanding

20286-419: The reliability of these measurements for a long time, noting they were much larger than any other accurately reported sighting. Later studies proved these doubts to be well-founded. This New Brunswick shark may have been a misidentified basking shark , as the two have similar body shapes. The question of the Port Fairy shark was settled in the 1970s when J. E. Randall examined the shark's jaws and "found that

20447-417: The revitalization of Cannery Row , and produces hundreds of millions of dollars for the economy of Monterey County. In addition to being featured in two PBS Nature documentaries, the aquarium has appeared in film and television productions. In the early 1960s, scientists at Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station grew wary of the growing industry on Cannery Row . The station succeeded in convincing

20608-479: The rise of two separate descendants, the one representing the great white shark lineage being Macrorhizodus praecursor . Great white sharks live in almost all coastal and offshore waters which have water temperature between 12 and 24 °C (54 and 75 °F), with greater concentrations in the United States ( Northeast and California ), South Africa, Japan, Oceania , Chile, and the Mediterranean including

20769-631: The shark successfully killed the whale. Johnson suggested that the shark may have strategized its attack in order to kill such a large animal. Stomach contents of great whites also indicates that whale sharks both juvenile and adult may also be included on the animal's menu, though whether this is active hunting or scavenging is not known at present. Great white sharks were previously thought to reach sexual maturity at around 15 years of age, but are now believed to take far longer; male great white sharks reach sexual maturity at age 26, while females take 33 years to reach sexual maturity. Maximum life span

20930-484: The shark to locate even immobile animals by detecting their heartbeat. Most fish have a less-developed but similar sense using their body's lateral line . To more successfully hunt fast and agile prey such as sea lions, the great white has adapted to maintain a body temperature warmer than the surrounding water. One of these adaptations is a " rete mirabile " (Latin for "wonderful net"). This close web-like structure of veins and arteries, located along each lateral side of

21091-843: The shark's skin a darker colour, although hormone mediated color change is not fully validated due to the limited number of test subjects ( i.e. great whites). The camo shark hypothesis is supported by the fact that zebra sharks can change their colour as they age, and rainbow sharks can lose colour due to stress and ageing. Great white sharks are generalist carnivores , preying upon fish (e.g. tuna , rays , other sharks ), cetaceans (i.e., dolphins , porpoises , whales ), pinnipeds (e.g. seals , fur seals , and sea lions ), squid , sea turtles , sea otters ( Enhydra lutris ) and seabirds . Great whites have also been known to eat objects that they are unable to digest. Juvenile white sharks predominantly prey on fish, including other elasmobranchs , as their jaws are not strong enough to withstand

21252-401: The shark's stark white underside, a characteristic feature most noticeable in beached sharks lying upside down with their bellies exposed. Colloquial use favours the name 'great white shark', with 'great' perhaps stressing the size and prowess of the species, and "white shark" having historically been used to describe the much smaller oceanic white-tipped shark , later referred to for a time as

21413-479: The shark, conserves heat by warming the cooler arterial blood with the venous blood that has been warmed by the working muscles. This keeps certain parts of the body (particularly the stomach) at temperatures up to 14 °C (25 °F) above that of the surrounding water, while the heart and gills remain at sea temperature. When conserving energy, the core body temperature can drop to match the surroundings. A great white shark's success in raising its core temperature

21574-521: The sharks appeared to become lethargic, no longer swimming to the surface; they were observed mouthing the carcass but apparently unable to bite hard enough to remove flesh, they would instead bounce off and slowly sink. Up to eight sharks were observed feeding simultaneously, bumping into each other without showing any signs of aggression; on one occasion a shark accidentally bit the head of a neighbouring shark, leaving two teeth embedded, but both continued to feed unperturbed. Smaller individuals hovered around

21735-420: The sharks' buoyancy, the liver of great whites is essential in migration patterns. Sharks that sink faster during drift dives were revealed to use up their internal stores of energy quicker than those which sink in a dive at more leisurely rates. Toxicity from heavy metals seems to have little negative effects on great white sharks. Blood samples taken from forty-three individuals of varying size, age and sex off

21896-519: The situation demands it. At Seal Island , white sharks have been observed arriving and departing in stable "clans" of two to six individuals on a yearly basis. Whether clan members are related is unknown, but they get along peacefully enough. In fact, the social structure of a clan is probably most aptly compared to that of a wolf pack, in that each member has a clearly established rank and each clan has an alpha leader. When members of different clans meet, they establish social rank nonviolently through any of

22057-490: The surface of the water. The peak burst speed is estimated to be above 40 km/h (25 mph). They have also been observed chasing prey after a missed attack. Prey is usually attacked at the surface. Shark attacks occur most often in the morning, within two hours of sunrise, when visibility is poor. Their success rate is 55% in the first two hours, falling to 40% in late morning after which hunting stops. Off California, sharks use different predation techniques depending on

22218-405: The sustainable seafood industry. Seafood Watch aims to target all levels of the seafood supply chain in their quest for sustainability. Seafood Watch partners with zoos, aquariums, science museums, nature centers, and other non-profits to promote sustainable seafood. Its business and culinary initiatives assist seafood buyers, distributors, retailers, food service professionals, and chefs in moving

22379-424: The tooth fossil remains of C. hastalis and Great White Shark "have been documented from the same deposits, hence the former cannot be a chronospecific ancestor of the latter." He also criticized that the C. hastalis "morphotype has never been tested through phylogenetic analyses," and denoted that as of 2021, the argument that the modern Carcharodon lineage with narrow, serrated teeth evolved from C. hastalis with

22540-551: The university of their concerns in 1967, and Stanford University purchased the property on Cannery Row that housed the Hovden Cannery , a sardine cannery on the border of Monterey and Pacific Grove . Hovden Cannery closed in 1973 when its parent company moved the plant, and Hopkins used the facility as a warehouse. In the late 1970s, however, Chuck Baxter and Robin Burnett—both faculty members at Hopkins—along with Nancy Burnett,

22701-412: The warm-water eddies, spending the daytime hours at depths of 450 m (1,480 ft) and coming to the surface at night. The great white shark has a robust, large, conical snout. The upper and lower lobes on the tail fin are approximately the same size which is similar to some mackerel sharks . A great white displays countershading , by having a white underside and a grey dorsal area (sometimes in

22862-425: The whale, even utilizing the bite-and-spit tactic they employ on smaller prey items. The whale was an entangled individual, heavily emaciated and thus more vulnerable to the sharks' attacks. The incident is the first known documentation of great whites actively killing a large baleen whale. A second incident regarding great white sharks killing humpback whales involving a single large female great white nicknamed Helen

23023-674: The work of ecologist Ed Ricketts in his 1939 book on intertidal ecology , Between Pacific Tides . In the early 1980s this was a unique approach to the design of public aquariums, as the two largest public aquariums at the time in the United States—Boston's New England Aquarium (1969) and Baltimore's National Aquarium (1981)—focused on "magnificent coral reef exhibits or big sharks", and displayed few local species. Monterey Bay Aquarium displays 35,000 animals belonging to over 550 species in 2.3 million U.S. gallons (8,700,000 L) of water. Filtered seawater from Monterey Bay

23184-442: The year. Between 1984 and 2014, the aquarium hosted more than 2 million students. In 2009, the aquarium and others collaborated to create an online resource called "Climate Interpreter", which is used by other zoological institutions, government agencies, and academic institutions to share materials for interpreting climate change to the public. A 13,000-square-foot (1,200 m ), US$ 30 million education center being developed by

23345-528: Was Lamia , first coined by Guillaume Rondelet in his 1554 book Libri de Piscibus Marinis , who also identified it as the fish that swallowed the prophet Jonah in biblical texts. Linnaeus recognized both names as previous classifications. Carcharias taurus [REDACTED] Cetorhinus maximus Lamna nasus Lamna ditropis Carcharodon carcharias [REDACTED] Isurus oxyrinchus [REDACTED] Isurus paucus Molecular clock studies published between 1988 and 2002 determined

23506-742: Was 16 days. A 10-month, US$ 19 million renovation of the wing concluded in July 2011 to refurbish the community exhibit. Turbulent swimming patterns of 300-pound (140 kg) tunas were dismantling the exhibit's structural glass tiles, which the sea turtles were subsequently eating, so the exhibit was drained after all 10,000 animals were caught. Supplemental exhibits were added as part of this renovation featuring artwork that highlights current issues in ocean conservation , including overfishing and marine plastic pollution . Monterey Bay Aquarium opened in 1984 with 83 tanks in 12 galleries, which more than doubled by 2014 into 200 live animal exhibits. In addition to

23667-611: Was a female caught in August 1988 in the Gulf of St. Lawrence , off Prince Edward Island, by David McKendrick of Alberton , Prince Edward Island . This female great white was 6.1 m (20 ft) long, as verified by the Canadian Shark Research Center. A report of a specimen reportedly measuring 6.4 m (21 ft) in length and with a body mass estimated at 3,175–3,324 kg (7,000–7,328 lb) caught in 1945 off

23828-442: Was awarded the national Twenty-five Year Award , described as "a benchmark and role model for aquariums everywhere." In discussing the aquarium's conservation and education programs, its track record for entertaining visitors, and its reputation for collaboration, the head of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums described it as "a definite leader" in 2009 to the Los Angeles Times . Since it opened in 1984, Julie Packard has been

23989-623: Was captured near Kangaroo Island in Australia on 1 April 1987. This shark was estimated to be more than 6.9 m (23 ft) long by Peter Resiley, and has been designated as KANGA. Another great white shark was caught in Malta by Alfredo Cutajar on 16 April 1987. This shark was also estimated to be around 7.13 m (23.4 ft) long by John Abela and has been designated as MALTA. However, Cappo drew criticism because he used shark size estimation methods proposed by J. E. Randall to suggest that

24150-412: Was documented off the coast of South Africa. Working alone, the shark attacked a 33 ft (10 m) emaciated and entangled humpback whale by attacking the whale's tail to cripple it before she managed to drown the whale by biting onto its head and pulling it underwater. The attack was witnessed via aerial drone by marine biologist Ryan Johnson , who said the attack went on for roughly 50 minutes before

24311-490: Was featured in BBC 's Big Blue Live , a 2015 live television miniseries about Monterey Bay that won a BAFTA TV Award in 2016. The aquarium served as the filming location for the fictitious Cetacean Institute in the 1986 film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home . In the 2016 Disney / Pixar animated film Finding Dory , the aquarium inspired the design of the fish hospital that the characters visit, and its animals served as models for

24472-399: Was filmed off Guadalupe during shooting for the 2014 episode of Shark Week "Jaws Strikes Back". Deep Blue would also later gain significant attention when she was filmed interacting with researcher Mauricio Hoyas Pallida in a viral video that Mauricio posted on Facebook on 11 June 2015. Deep Blue was later seen off Oahu in January 2019 while scavenging a sperm whale carcass, whereupon she

24633-400: Was filmed swimming beside divers including dive tourism operator and model Ocean Ramsey in open water. A particularly infamous great white shark, supposedly of record proportions, once patrolled the area that comprises False Bay , South Africa, was said to be well over 7 m (23 ft) during the early 1980s. This shark, known locally as the "Submarine", had a legendary reputation that

24794-462: Was identified as an amphibian and assigned the scientific name Squalus carcharias , Squalus being the genus that he placed all sharks in. By the 1810s, it was recognized that the shark should be placed in a new genus, but it was not until 1838 when Sir Andrew Smith coined the name Carcharodon as the new genus. There have been a few attempts to describe and classify the great white before Linnaeus. One of its earliest mentions in literature as

24955-489: Was listed by Parents magazine as the top public aquarium in the United States and the highest rated destination on the West Coast . Frommer's travel guide lists Monterey Bay Aquarium as "exceptional", the highest rating on its three-tier system. Each year, since 2019, content creator DougDoug has held a Twitch livestream on the birthday of Monterey Bay Aquarium's oldest sea otter, Rosa . The livestreams have raised

25116-540: Was loaned a deep-freeze fridge from the Aquarium in order to allow the hospital to store the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at -94 degrees Fahrenheit. Normally the aquarium uses the freezer for preserving "biological and veterinary samples". Prior to the loan, the hospital had planned on keeping the vaccine on dry ice which would have meant changing the dry ice every five days. Due to the aquarium's closure during

25277-427: Was named Carcharodon hubbelli in 2012, demonstrated a mosaic of evolutionary transitions between the great white and C. hastalis , namely the gradual appearance of serrations, in a span of between 8 and 5 million years ago. The progression of C. hubbelli characterized shifting diets and niches; by 6.5 million years ago, the serrations were developed enough for C. hubbelli to handle marine mammals. Although both

25438-484: Was reportedly playing an influential role in the discussion regarding seafood sustainability. According to the aquarium, the program's efficacy is driven by its work with both businesses and consumers, and is supported by the organization's expanding science and ocean policy programs. In the late 2000s, Seafood Watch was likely the most known and most widely distributed sustainable seafood guide out of around 200 internationally. By 2014, fifteen years after its inception,

25599-425: Was supposedly well-founded. Though rumours have stated this shark was exaggerated in size or non-existent altogether, witness accounts by the then young Craig Anthony Ferreira, a notable shark expert in South Africa, and his father indicate an unusually large animal of considerable size and power (though it remains uncertain just how massive the shark was as it escaped capture each time it was hooked). Ferreira describes

25760-433: Was tagged off the South African coast swam to the southern coast of Australia and back within the year. A similar study tracked a different great white shark from South Africa swimming to Australia's northwestern coast and back, a journey of 20,000 km (12,000 mi; 11,000 nmi) in under nine months. These observations argue against traditional theories that white sharks are coastal territorial predators, and open up

25921-456: Was the largest public aquarium in the United States. On opening day, 11,000 visited it and around 30,000 people attended the day's festivities. In reference to the disappearance of sardines (through overfishing ), which caused the canneries to close, the aquarium said that "the fish are back!" Throughout the following year, 2.4 million people visited, which influenced assumptions about "the ability of marine life to entertain, educate, and promote

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