Basking shark

Basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) are the second largest fish in the world, growing up to 10 metres long and weighing up to six tonnes. However these creatures are gentle giants, filter-feeding on plankton.

Basking sharks can be found worldwide, mainly in cool and temperate waters. During the summer months these sharks can be seen at the surface of coastal waters feeding on plankton. Basking sharks are regular visitors to the coasts of Devon and Cornwall during summer.

Little information is known about the ecology of these sharks. Basking sharks receive their common name from their feeding behaviour, 'basking' on the water's surface. These sharks are passive feeders, filtering through up to 1,500 m3 of water per hour and retaining the plankton. It is thought that these sharks are predominantly solitary animals, although pairs and groups of up to 100 have been spotted.

Basking sharks are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981), this means that it is illegal to kill, injure or recklessly disturb basking sharks in British waters.

For more information on basking sharks visit the Shark Trust.