🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Reports of breaching basking sharks date back centuries, long before modern marine biology documented the behavior.
Despite their slow surface-feeding behavior, basking sharks have been documented breaching fully out of the water. Individuals weighing several tons have propelled themselves clear of the sea, crashing back down with force comparable to large whales.
💥 Impact (click to read)
Breaching requires overcoming gravity with a massive body not built for speed. For a plankton-feeding shark to generate enough momentum to clear the surface defies the common image of it as a passive drifter.
Scientists propose breaching may help dislodge parasites or play a role in communication, but the energy cost is immense. The spectacle of a gentle filter feeder exploding skyward underscores how little surface impressions reveal about the physical capabilities of deep-sea giants.
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