A recent study has revealed that the population of the great white shark is on the rise in the ocean waters surrounding the U.S. and Canada.
The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is also known by other names such as white pointer, the great white, white death or white shark. The white sharks are primarily found in the coastal surface water of all major oceans in the world. The great white shark is very well-known for its massive size. A mature white shark can grow up to 6.4 meters (21 feet); however, some reports suggest that the length can also go up to 8 meters (26 feet).
The population of the great white shark had been on a decline; however, conservation efforts and legal protection of the species seem to have been fruitful. Recent reports suggest that the population of the white shark has now been stabilized and growing in certain regions of the world.
According to a study conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, researchers have traced the population of the great white shark in the oceans and have compared their findings to the data collected since protection for the white sharks started in 1977. Researchers claim that the population of the white sharks in the North Atlantic along the east coast of the U.S. and Canada has reached to up to 2000, which the scientists believe is a very healthy figure.
The researchers say that they still face problems while trying to collect data related to the white sharks.
"Despite recent advances in field research on white sharks in several regions around the world, opportunistic capture and sighting records remain the primary source of information on this species in the NWA [Northwest Atlantic]. This is due to their sparse distribution and a historic lack of discrete coastal aggregation sites in this region," notes the study.
The population of the great white sharks is considered to be critical ecologically. Being the apex predator, which means they are at the top of the food chain, they contribute towards the control of population of other species in the water.
Even though the population of white sharks have increased, researchers say that the current population is still around 69 percent when compared to what it was in 1960's and 1980's.
The study suggests that even though the population of the white sharks has increased, conservation and protection efforts of the great white shark should also improve in the future. A separate study also suggests that the number of white sharks in the eastern north Pacific Ocean is also rising.
