The great white shark called Deep Blue is considered one of the largest ever recorded, reaching nearly 20 feet in length. Unlike humans, fish keep growing throughout their lives, so she will likely continue increasing in size each year. Deep Blue was spotted off Oahu in Hawaii feeding on a sperm whale carcass. Because of her massive belly, some wondered if she was pregnant, though hours of eating whale meat could explain her appearance. While great whites do visit Hawaiian waters, they usually stay deep, so such a clear sighting was rare and exciting. Even more remarkable, three enormous female sharks, the largest ever recorded in Hawaii, were observed at the same time. This unusual event provided scientists with valuable information. Deep Blue had previously been filmed near Guadalupe Island, about 2,400 miles away, which shows the wide migration patterns of these predators. The new sighting also supports research by NOAA suggesting that the great white population in the North Pacific may be increasing. If that trend continues, such extraordinary encounters might become more frequent, giving scientists further opportunities to study these fascinating creatures.
Vocabulary:
• shark (noun): a large fish with sharp teeth that lives in the ocean.
• carcass (noun): the dead body of an animal.
• belly (noun): the stomach area of a person or animal.
• pregnant (adj): when a female is carrying a baby or babies inside her body.
• rare (adj): something that does not happen often.
• sighting (noun): an occasion when someone sees something unusual.
• migration (noun): the movement of animals from one place to another at certain times of the year.
• population (noun): the total number of people or animals of the same kind living in an area.
Source: Nat Geo wild