Air Jaws by Carmen

Air Jaws

The best place in the world to witness the spectacular Great White Shark breaching is 30km south of Cape Town at Seal Island in False Bay. Scientists have acknowledged that the breaching behaviour of the Great White Shark occurs there more frequently than anywhere along the South African coastline.

It’s difficult to imagine a 1 tonne animal, launching itself out of the waters that surround Seal Island while hunting, however the Great White Shark does just this. This spectacular behaviour is called breaching as Great White sharks use this strategy to catch fast moving prey, such as seals.

The Great White Shark begins its hunting at dawn. They will swim near the bottom of the murky waters and the clearer the water, the deeper they will swim. Once they spot its prey, it is  a full out vertical rush to the surface, the Great White often is able to reach twenty miles per hour, and break through the water grabbing its prey. This act is a ‘shoot first ask questions later’ performance and is often targeted to attack a seal, however sometimes long chases of up to 3-4 minutes can occur due to the seal noticing the shark and maneuvering away or by chance the shark simply misses. . During these long chases the Great White Shark will often jump out head over tail with great agility for its size.

Great White Sharks breach most commonly in the habitat of Seal Island. The island is a small land mass located 5.7 kms off the northern beaches of False Bay, near Cape Town, in South Africa. Seal Island is so named, because of the great number of Cape Fur Seals which  occupy it. It is 5 acres in area and home to at least 64,000 cape fur seals. It is also home to seabirds and is likely that non-marine species, fly there to breed as well. The dense population of the seals at certain times of the year, attract the seal’s main predator, the Great White Sharks. A ‘Ring Of Death’ surrounds the island as this is where attacks on seals most often occur, however the seals have adapted a smarter way to cross through the steep dropoff. As the seals return they take one breath then plunge the murky 15c degree water and swim swiftly towards the island and only breathe again once safely on the island.

To conclude, 30km south of Cape Town at Seal Island in False Bay, is the greatest place to witness the spectacular hunting ability of the Great White Shark as they continue to adapt to their habitat. It is known as breaching. The phenomenon of a 1 tonne animal swimming at the murky bottom depths then rushing to the surface in a full out vertical rush to the surface, catching its prey as it leaps from the water.

Science: by Grace

Science: George and Kiara

Reading Activities - Carmen

Air Jaws by Hannah

Air Jaws

By Hannah Shallcrass

Vicious great white sharks hunt cape fur seals in waters around Seal Island in Cape Town, South Africa. Great whites can breach up to 2 metres out of the water. This is the only place where they breach.

False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa is where Seal Island is the home to 60,000 cape fur seals and South African penguins. Great whites also live around Seal Island but they hunt 400 yards out of the island which is known as the “ring of death”. The “ring of death” is where great whites surround the island awaiting the prey.

An “air jaws” shark mainly feeds on food around Seal Island. These sharks will feed on dozens of seals, penguins, and dead sea birds. They will also feed on other food such as whales devouring the meat at 35-40 pounds or more per bite.

An “air jaws” shark is highly manoeuvrable for how big it is. The shark would swim in the murky water of the ocean. A larger shark has priority so when a smaller shark is going to attack the larger shark can take over. When a seal or any other prey comes along the shark would swim at an angle of either parallel, and vertical or any other trajectory depending on where it is. The shark would swim at full speed toward the prey and breech. The shark is not always successful, when it is not it will go back and may have another attempt.

The seals will leave Seal Island in larger groups and will come back in smaller groups. Some lucky seals are well adapted to the habitat and know how things work around Seal Island. When the sharks have a feeding frenzy they become intoxicated after 2 hours of non-stop feeding. Some seals make fearless runs through the ring of death to make an escape. As the seasons change from winter to spring the air jaws abandon the island.

Air Jaws well known as great whites are amazing creatures as they have adapted to their environment and will continue to do so.

Air Jaws by Jamie H

Air Jaws

Air jaws is one of the most deadliest sharks in the world. The great white shark breaches to kill its prey, and has therefore been nicknamed ‘Air jaws’.

Habitat: The great white shark hunts off the coast of South Africa near Cape Town in False Bay, there is an island named ‘Seal Island’ due to the 60 thousand cape fur seals living there. This makes it a perfect hunting spot for the great white sharks.

Diet: The great white shark mainly eats seals, however has also eaten whales and other sea creatures. The great white shark has occasionally attacked the African penguin, yet it did not consume the bird.

Hunting: The great white shark mainly hunts in the 'Ring of Death.' The 'ring of death' is a circle around Seal Island and that’s where the seals mostly get killed. The ring of death is where the great white sharks prefer to hunt.

By Jamie Hay

Air Jaws by Katia

INFORMATION REPORT
• A report gives information about an object, animal, person or place
• Use present tense
• Can include a labelled diagram and caption

 Title: Air Jaws

 Aggressive and vicious are two words to describe the magnificent sharks of South Africa. These incredible great whites have the amazing ability to breach two metres into the air. This is the only place where these sharks breach. Being the world’s most dangerous shark, this shark has more speed and agility than any other.

 The waters around Seal Island in False bay, Cape town is a home to many of these Great White sharks, as well as being the home to 60,000 cape fur seals and African penguins. The Air Jaws tend to patrol the island from around 400 yards out in the ‘Ring of Death,’ it’s preferable hunting place.

The great whites diet consists mainly of Cape fur seals but may occasionally go to a dead whale or water birds as a food source. The sharks can eat up to 35-45 pounds of whale flesh in one bite. When the water begins to warm the great whites undergo diet changes.

 Over a dozen attacks take place every day. The sharks can travel up to 20 miles per hour while approaching their prey. If a shark misses a seal a long chase is often ahead, the sharks may even flip head over tail while trying to catch it’s prey. These sharks are able to adapt to the seals speed and agility. The sharks restless hunting begins at dawn. They have many different attack styles including shallow/parallel attacks, mid attacks and vertical attacks (coming from the deep at full speed.) Competition excites the predators and so the bigger the shark the bigger it’s priority at meal time. These sharks live by the rules of ‘shoot first, ask questions later,’ they attack with aggression and are also scavengers. In murky water sharks can sometimes almost camouflage but the clearer the water the deeper the shark will go to catch it’s prey.

 As the sharks spend almost all of their time at the ring of death the seals are in great danger when passing through, whether they are leaving or returning to the island. Before venturing off seals sometimes meet at the bottom near the edge of the ring of death also known as ‘the launching pad’ to swim or play in groups of 8-12. The seals often leave the island in large groups but return in much smaller ones. The seals take one last breath before diving to the bottom of the ring of death to get to the island to provide the best safety. The seals that have passed through the ring of death before have a better chance of surviving. If they need to the seals may use close by objects such as boats for protection.

 These sharks have adapted well to the waters around Seal Island and are continuing to do so. While scientists are busy trying to figure out what it is about the waters that causes the magnificent creatures to breach above the surface.

 By Katia B