Great white sharks only live in marine environments. Australia, Japan, United States, South Africa and South America are some locations where shark sightings occur. Great whites usually dwell near coastal shorelines, but sometimes swim in offshore sites at depths of 775 feet. These predatory fish prefer moderate water temperatures and dwell in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Occasionally, great whites appear in saltwater environments with cold temperatures near Alaska and Canada. These sharks also like living near coral reefs, small islands and rocky headlands.
This fish is carnivorous, or meat eater, and has approximately 300 jagged, triangular teeth in several rows, which allows it to easily chew through its prey's flesh. A great white shark's diet heavily influences where it spends most of its time. Pinnepeds -- seals, walruses and sea lions -- are a major part of the great white's diet and they usually live on rocky shores and coral reef areas. According to the Surfing Handbook, it is advisable not to surf in a group of seals, since sharks may mistake you for its prey. Other prey for great white sharks is large fish, sea turtles and large marine fish species.
Unlike other marine vertebrates, all sharks -- including the great white -- have a cartilaginous skeleton, meaning their skeletal structure is made of cartilage. The cartilage skeleton is a network of fibers that connects to the shark's muscle, which in turn attaches to its exoskeleton. As a result, great whites are lightweight and do not expend much muscular energy when they swim. The exoskeleton of sharks is covered with spiny scale known as dermal denticles. All of the shark's dermal denticles face backwards toward the shark's tail, giving the shark's "skin" a smooth texture if you rubbed it from front to back.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, or the IUCN, has great white sharks listed as vulnerable, which means they are close to endangerment. The primary causes for the great white shark's vulnerability is commercial fishing and habitat degradation at its nesting sites; a great white's nesting occurs near inland shore areas. IUCN also says great whites do not have intrinsic rebound potential, meaning their populations do not recover quickly from heavy losses. The White Shark Trust and Monterey Bay Aquarium's Saving White Sharks are two programs designed for the preservation of great whites.