Basking Shark Facts

1. Basking sharks are the second largest fish in the world, second to the whale shark and can reach up to 12 metres in length and 7 tonnes in weight! 2. Despite their enormous size, basking sharks feed exclusively on tiny zooplankton which they filter from the water through the gillrakers in their 5 large pairs of gills. 3. Unlike other filter feeding sharks like the megamouth and whale sharks, they feed completely passively, swimming with their 1 metre-wide mouths agape allowing water (and food) to flow in rather than actively sucking in water. 4. Whilst feeding, basking sharks can pass 2,000 tonnes of water per hour through their gills and can hold up to half a tonne of food in their stomachs at one time. 5. Basking sharks are easily identified at the surface by their dorsal fin and crescent-shaped tail both visible and often their large pointed noses will break the surface too. Their large gills which almost encircle the head should also be clearly visible. 6. Although known for and named after their feeding behaviour at the surface, appearing as if to bask in the sun, they will actually spend much of their time in deep water, spending most of the winter feeding at depths of up to 1,000 metres. One shark was even recorded as deep as 1,264 metres! 7. Basking sharks were once heavily hunted for their fins, meat and liver oil but in 1998 were granted protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and have since flourished in British waters making regular appearances each spring and summer.