Basking Shark

Basking sharks have few predators. White sharks have been reported to scavenge on the remains of these sharks. Killer whales have been observed feeding on basking sharks off California and New Zealand. Lampreys are often seen attached to them, although they are unlikely to be able to cut through the shark's thick skin. The age of maturity is thought to be between the ages of six and 13 and at a length of 4.6–6 m. Breeding frequency is thought to be two to four years. The exact lifespan of the basking shark is unknown, but experts estimate to be about 50 years. Basking sharks are ovoviviparous: the developing embryos first rely on a yolk sac, with no placental connection. Their seemingly useless teeth may play a role before birth in helping them feed on the mother's unfertilized ova

The basking shark is a coastal-pelagic shark found worldwide in boreal to warm-temperate waters around the continental shelves.

The basking shark is a passive feeder, filtering zooplankton, small fish, and invertebrates from up to 2,000 tons of water per hour.

Gestation is thought to span over a year (perhaps two to three years), with a small, though unknown, number of young born fully developed at 1.5–2 m.