#basking sharks

St. Nicholas: Volume 11, part 1. May, November, 1883 - April, 1884. Conducted by Mary Mapes Dodge.

James Carter Beard (1837 - 1913). "Birds Alighting Upon a "Basker-Shark"." From Blown out to Sea, by C. F. Holder.

Day 13: Aroace Basking Shark

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here's some big boys for you anon!!

It's basking sharks, bitch

Today's shark is the basking shark!

The basics: averaging around 25 feet long, the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is the second-largest of all extant sharks (behind just the whale shark), and one of the three filter-feeding sharks. Found in temperate waters worldwide, basking sharks are named for their habit to swim close to the water's surface, giving the impression they're basking in the sun. They have the most well-developed gill rakers of the filter-feeding sharks, and are likely the most efficient at the feeding strategy - A+ in filter-feeding for these guys! Reflecting their passive lifestyle, basking sharks have the smallest relative brain-to-body size of all sharks.

Conservation status: endangered. Basking shark populations have suffered great decline thanks to over-fishing, as they've historically been a highly sought-after commercial catch for their hides, fins, meat, and liver oil, and their habitats in heavily-fished areas mean they're also at risk of bycatch. Some populations of basking sharks have entirely disappeared.

Today's fun fact: despite their huge size and slow movement speeds, basking sharks are capable of breach jumping entirely out of the water!

My nose is weak

Pours my blood out

Please don’t strike me

I’ve no teeth in my mouth

Lay here with me

Pour your words out

Basking sharks in the sea