Why do observers from above often witness only a fraction of the feeding ecology of white sharks?

Answer

They spend significant time foraging closer to the seabed

The iconic image of a great white shark hunting, often involving its dorsal fin cutting the water surface, is partially misleading due to a significant observational bias. While spectacular breaching events occur, the majority of the shark's actual feeding activity takes place away from the surface. This is partly because juveniles have a preference for benthic (bottom-dwelling) prey, and partly an adaptation for stealth against surface prey. The characteristic hunting structure relies on ambushing prey from below towards the surface. If the shark were routinely stalking visible at the surface, prey animals like seals would quickly learn to avoid the threat, thus minimizing the portion of their feeding behavior visible to surface observers.

$Why do observers from above often witness only a fraction of the feeding ecology of white sharks?$

Related Questions

What staple prey item is documented for very young white sharks off Southern California?What are the two main categories of high-fat prey targeted by adult white sharks exceeding 3 meters?What dramatic hunting strategy is often employed off the coast of South Africa when targeting seals?What capability development allows white sharks to incorporate marine mammals without ceasing fish consumption?What unusual physical evidence was found embedded in the jaws of a large female shark off western North America?What dominated the stomach contents of juvenile sharks studied off the east Australian coast?What is the primary energetic advantage for an adult white shark feeding on whale carcasses?What sensory mechanism appears to be used by sharks to selectively assess caloric content in carrion?Why do observers from above often witness only a fraction of the feeding ecology of white sharks?What specific change occurs to the third upper lateral tooth in maturing male white sharks?

diet Predator shark