2023-08-18 12:00:00
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He basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is a giant of the oceans and considered one of the largest sharks in the world. Specifically, it is the second pez largest in the world after whale shark and reaches 10 metros in length and four tons of weight.
The largest accurately measured specimen was caught in a fishing net in the bay of fundy, Canadain 1851. It had a total length of 12.27 m and weighed approximately nine tons..
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Recently, it has attracted attention due to sightings in Galician waters, in Spain. Despite its imposing presence, the nature of this majestic animal is more fascinating than it might appear at first glance.
THE ORIGIN OF ITS NAME
It is believed that the name “pilgrim” comes from the ancient belief that these sharks made sea pilgrimages, traveling long distances. In fact, they have been known to migrate along coastlines based on food availability. Tagged specimens, tracked by satellite, confirmed that basking sharks move thousands of kilometers during the winter months, looking for large concentrations of deep-sea plankton.
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Its teeth barely measure half a centimeter, which further differentiates it from predators such as the great white shark.
Basking sharks are social beings that tend to group by gender, usually in small groups of three or four members. However, groups of up to 100 of these sharks have been observed swimming collectively.
Despite having relatively tiny eyes for its size, these organs are perfectly formed, allowing the shark to observe boats, suggesting that they could be confused with others of its species. It is thought that females prefer shallow waters to give birth to their offspring.
HOW HAVE YOU REACHED THE COSTS?
The Coordinator for the Study of Marine Mammals (Cemma) points out that, although it is the second largest species after the whale shark, its presence near the coast is not common.
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Recently, however, a young 6 meter long basking shark was washed ashore by currentsa fact that, although unusual, provided the opportunity to admire this magnificent creature up close.
However, to preserve the integrity of the animal and avoid further complications, Ferrol Civil Protection personnel intervened, securing the shark and preventing the currents from dragging it further. Unfortunately, the decision was made to proceed with the incineration of the shark, in collaboration with Cemma.
HARMLESS TO HUMANS
Despite its large size, the basking shark is completely harmless to people. It feeds mainly on plankton and small marine organisms, and not on large prey or fish.
Their anatomy is a testament to their specialized diet: It has a huge mouth that it keeps open while moving through the water., and its gill system, developed to filter enormous amounts of water, can process up to 2,000 tons per hour. Although it has teeth, they are barely half a centimeter long, which further differentiates it from predators such as the great white shark.
It is not uncommon that, due to its size, it is confused with the feared great white shark. But unlike the latter, the basking shark does not have a voracious appetite for marine mammals.
Indeed, the basking shark has rendered a great service to human beings. Traditionally, it has been highly sought after in industrial fisheries in cold-water, high-latitude areas, thanks to its slow movement, docile character, and its abundance in earlier times.
Its commercial versatility has allowed it to be used in various ways: from its meat as food (hákarl) to fishmeal, without forgetting other derivatives such as its skin and the oils of its voluminous livers.
Today, they are fished mainly for their fins, which are used in soups. In addition, some parts of the shark, such as its cartilage, have a place in traditional Chinese medicine, and in Japan it is wrongly attributed aphrodisiac properties, with no scientific basis to support such a belief.
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