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  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

Why great white sharks dawdle their days away

To scientists’ surprise, the toothy predators fail to reach their most efficient cruising speed when swimming at the water’s surface.
Underwater split image of a great white shark with a red tag attached to its dorsal fin

Tracking devices placed on great white sharks revealed the powerful animal’s leisurely habits. Credit: Andrew Fox/Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions

Great white sharks do much of their swimming at a sluggish pace, saving their strength for chasing down food.

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Nature 566, 428 (2019)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-00597-w

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