Great White Shark Facts For Kids. And, if you have a budding marine biologist at home, who is awestruck at the sight of this sea giant, then sharing some fun yet interesting facts about the Great White shark can help your little one … The great white shark’s large pectoral fins are built for speed. The scientific name for this fish is the Carcharodon carcharias. Fun Facts About Great White Sharks. As the largest predatory fish in our ocean, these fearsome animals inspire awe and respect. However, the size of the great white shark and its efficiency as a predator add to the perpetuation of this unnecessary fear. The name comes from two Greek words meaning "sharp" and "tooth". Great White Shark Facts For Kids. They help the shark change direction and move up or down while swimming. Sometimes, it took weeks to spot one in the ocean. 50 Cool Facts About Great White Sharks June 1, 2016 by Michael Rogers. The largest great white shark ever recorded reaches a length of 23 feet. An easy way to add a note with a bit of fun information about sharks. The great white becomes an adult about nine years after its birth. Long tail fin. The Great White shark is the only type of shark … Fun Shark Facts for Kids. The shark is considered vulnerable on the endangered list and is protected in some areas. They may be big, but they can reach speeds of 40 miles per hour while swimming. One such organisation is The Shark Trust. At birth a baby great white shark is already about 5 feet (1.5 meters) long; as it grows it may reach a length up to four times that. Shark characteristics. Scientists have attempted to raise them in aquarium but not a single white shark lived more than a few days. The large tail of the shark makes it a fast swimmer. Sharks swim around 8km an hour. My kids LOVE fun/weird facts so I thought I’d start a new series of lunchbox printables with weird facts. Juvenile (before 15 years of age) sharks often hunt and eat small fish, as the cartilage in their jaws has not mineralized enough to withstand the force needed for a stronger bite. Scientists have attempted to raise them in aquarium but not a single white shark lived more than a few days. Great white sharks are the largest and most fierce predators in the ocean. Great White sharks are carnivorous, preying on nearly any fish in the ocean, though fat rich animals are preferred. Diet. Some great whites have been tracked swimming all the way from South Africa to Australia. Great whites do not do well in captivity. In reality, great white shark attacks on humans are rare – and it is even rarer for one of these attacks to be fatal. How big do they get? Few creatures strike more fear in humans than the great white shark. Starting us out just in the nick of time for shark week with shark facts! Most sharks are cold blooded. Great White Shark Facts for Kids. They are giant fish that can grow to 20 feet long and 4000 pounds. But before it grows larger, the pup must avoid predators bigger than it is—including other great white sharks. 14 Comments 14 Comments; Does any other shark capture our imagination like the Great White? It was filmed off Guadalupe Island in Mexico. The Great White Shark is one of the fascinating marine animals. The back of the shark has a grey color and the underside is colored white. The great white is 15 to 20 feet long and weighs around 5,000 pounds. Although sharks have a reputation as destructive beasts that attack almost anything that enters their water habitat, the actual number of shark attacks is probably lower than you imagine. Sometimes, it took weeks to spot one in the ocean. Great white sharks have long remained a mystery even to shark scientists perhaps due to the fact that they’re not successfully bred in captivity. Raised ridges near the tail give it a more streamlined shape, helping the shark to swim faster. The pup (which is what a baby shark is called) will live its life at the top of the ocean's food chain. The sharks have three main fins: the dorsal (on back) and two pectoral fins (on the sides).There are five gill slits on great white sharks. Great white sharks have long remained a mystery even to shark scientists perhaps due to the fact that they’re not successfully bred in captivity. The biggest species of shark is the Whale shark. Facts about sharks for kids Facts about sharks for kids. Baby sharks are called pups.