❃ The basking shark is the second largest extant fish in the world after the whale shark. It is a slow-moving filter feeder and can grow to an enormous size, with the largest individual on record measuring over 40 feet long. Some of these basking sharks are just scarily humungous!
❃ Despite its massive size, the basking shark poses no threat to humans as it is a gentle giant that feeds on tiny plankton. These sharks are often seen swimming close to the surface of the water with their giant mouths wide open, filter-feeding on the tiny organisms that drift by in the currents.
❃ Basking sharks are found in temperate waters all over the world and migrate long distances each year. They are believed to mate in mid-winter and give birth to live young in late spring or early summer.