Facts about Basking Shark

1. 08

   Classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, basking sharks were historically hunted heavily for their liver oil, fins, and flesh, causing significant population declines.

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2. 07

   Females of the species can carry up to seven pups at a time through ovoviviparity, where embryos develop inside eggs retained within the mother's body.

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3. 06

   Basking shark teeth are tiny and numerous, with up to 300 rows in each jaw despite being nearly useless for feeding on plankton.

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4. 05

   A basking shark's liver can comprise up to 25 percent of its body weight and stores enough oil to provide buoyancy in deep ocean waters.

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5. 04

   During winter months, basking sharks disappear from surface waters entirely, suggesting they undergo a dormant or deep-diving phase that scientists are still working to understand.

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6. 03

   Basking sharks migrate thousands of miles annually between tropical and temperate waters, with some populations traveling from the North Atlantic to African coasts seasonally.

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7. 02

   Measuring up to 40 feet long, basking sharks are the second-largest fish species alive today, surpassed only by the whale shark.

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8. 01

   The basking shark's gill rakers can number up to 4,000 individual structures, filtering up to 2,000 tons of water daily during feeding.

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