A key feature of the basking shark, also known as Cetorhinus maximus, is its immense size and unique feeding behavior. These gentle giants are the second-largest fish species in the world, reaching lengths of up to 10 meters and weighing over five tons. A prominent feature of the basking shark is its enormous mouth, which can open up to one meter wide, revealing a row of tightly packed, dagger-like teeth perfectly adapted to filtering vast quantities of water. Unlike most sharks, the basking shark is a filter feeder, acquiring its sustenance by swimming slowly near the surface with its mouth wide open, allowing it to engulf huge volumes of water containing tiny plankton and krill. As the water passes through its gill rakers, the basking shark filters out its microscopic prey, consuming up to 1,500 tons of plankton-infused water each hour. This unique feeding strategy and their remarkable size make basking sharks an awe-inspiring sight to behold in the world's oceans.
