8 BASKING SHARK Cetorhinus maximus Basking sharks swim very slowly Appearance Basking sharks are the second largest living fish Most are as long as a school bus They can weigh as much as two cars They are grayish brown or black Shark Depth Behavior Basking sharks often float near the surface of the water 655 to 6560 feet 200 to 2,000 m 2000 ft 4000 ft 6000 ft 8000 ft 10000 ft 12000 ft
9 They have hairs called gill rakers on the insides of their mouths To eat a basking shark opens its mouth to let water in The gill rakers separate tiny ocean animals from the water These animals will go to the shark's stomach The extra water goes out through the gills Range Basking sharks live mostly along the coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans They have been seen near the Hawaiian Islands They stay in areas where the weather is mild Length 36 feet 11 m Weight 4.3 tons 3.9 metric tons
BIGEYE THRESHER SHARK Alopias superciliosus 10 Appearance Bigeye thresher sharks have large eyes They also have huge tail fins The tail fin can be as long as the shark's body Behavior These sharks stay near the ocean surface at night Bigeye threshers are not considered harmful to humans Length 11 to 16 feet 3.5 to 4.9 m Weight Up to 802 pounds 364 kg
During the day they dive down to hunt They stun fish and squid by hitting them with their big tail fins This makes it easier to catch and eat the prey Bigeye threshers can also make their bodies get warmer than the ocean water This helps them stay in deep or cold water while hunting Range Bigeye thresher sharks live in the Atlantic Ocean They stay near the equator The weather there is warm These sharks are also found in the Mediterranean Sea Shark Depth 0 to 500 feet 0 to 150 m 2000 ft 4000 ft 6000 ft 8000 ft 10000 ft 12000 ft 11
