CHEYENNE (USA)- A study published last week by the University of Wyoming show that great whites have a much broader diet than, as we often think, just seals.
Many of the Pacific great white sharks they sampled were generalists who took different prey in varying locations. Some sharks were nearshore marine mammal specialists, but others had more flexible foraging approaches.
The study raises new questions about great white shark biology. For one thing, why did the sharks have such individualistic diets? Competition may be the key, Sora Kim and co-authors hypothesize. Imagine if all adult great white sharks were seal specialists who congregated at the same beaches. There may not be enough food for all, and swimming in the same waters as bigger, more experienced sharks would be risky for smaller novices who could wind up as meals themselves. By being flexible – able to tackle elephant seals as well as squid, tuna, and other food sources – great white sharks may lessen competition with their own kind.
Read more at Wired.