Video: Massive great white shark feeds on dead whale off the coast of Rhode Island
RHODE ISLAND – It’s not often you can get so close to such a dangerous beast like a great white shark, but that is exactly what one boater was able to do in Rhode Island.
A large 15-foot great white shark was spotted feasting on a dead whale in the ocean off the coast of Rhode Island.
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Despite a reputation for inhabiting waters in Australia and South Africa, great white sharks can be found in temperate waters around the world, as their habitat preferences can change as they age, according to National Geographic.
Video footage shared by Ian Shilosky shows many birds hovering around the whale carcass, trying to get a nibble without getting too close to the 15-foot beast.
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The shark shows off its brutal strength, ripping large chunks from the whale with its 2 to 3-inch razor-sharp teeth, before diving underwater to consume its meal.
"White shark sightings are few and far between until a whale dies and then they seem to appear out of nowhere as this one did," the Atlantic Shark Institute said on social media.
The great white shark grows slowly, with males maturing at around 26 years and females at around 33, according to NOAA.
These creatures range in age from 30 to over 70 years old, and they can weigh up to 4,500 pounds.
Adult great whites usually swim along shorelines where there is a known food source, such as seals or sea lions.
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As the largest predatory fish in the world, great white sharks tend to eat a variety of fish, rays, squid, seabirds, sea turtles, dolphins and more.
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