People are gravitating toward a new video clip posted on Instagram, which was recently taken in Florida by a group out on the water fishing. A huge great white shark is seen circling a small boat, shocking the occupants who were able to catch the ocean predator on video.
In the video, the scene of the pristine and calm blue water is interrupted by an enormous gray entity that glides just under the surface as it circles the boat. The video of the great white shark is so crystal clear that you can even see the small scavenger fish that swim above and below the shark.
According to Fox News, the occupants of the boat reported it circled their vessel for about five minutes. The person who posted the Instagram video is referred to as Morningstar in the Fox article and this person is quoted as calling this encounter “shocking.”
The great white shark species has gotten a lot of attention and a rather brutal reputation from movies like Jaws and its sequels. It is seen as a merciless predator of the ocean in those films with humans being nothing more than a fast-food item for them.
While great whites have attacked people in the past, National Geographic reports that the majority of victims survive after being bitten in these incidents . They bite and release to get a feel for what type of prey they’ve encountered.
The great white is the “largest predatory fish” to swim in the world’s oceans, but they are not the most lethal of sea creatures to encounter, according to Fox News . Each year about 100 shark attacks are recorded worldwide and most of these attacks are not fatal. About one-third of shark attacks are attributed to a great white shark.
Most of the great white attacks happen because these ocean dwellers are “naturally curious” and when they attack, they are “sample biting,” according to National Geographic. They “release their victims rather than preying on humans,” reports Fox.
The great white can grow over 20 feet long, with their average length measuring about 15 feet. This shark species can weigh up to 5,000 pounds. Despite their large size, their “torpedo-shaped” bodies come equipped with a powerful tail. That tail allows a great white shark to propel itself through the water at speeds up to 15 miles per hour.