If you’re a big fan of Shark Week, then you’re in for a pleasant surprise with this article. Viewers of the Discovery Channel show are always excited to learn about the different kinds of marine predators. Although Shark Week began as a show that primarily centered on the conservation efforts and correction of false impressions regarding sharks, it has gradually evolved into a widely acclaimed and entertaining TV show through the years. The hosts of Shark Week famously tracked down and studied some of the most intriguing and dangerous sharks in the world.
We have researched the five highest-ranked sharks by The Discovery Channel. As you make your way on the list, you will realize that there is a single recurring theme between them – they belong to one prominent species of shark called great whites and they are known for their remarkable size and hunting prowess.
Colossus
The shark is as intimidating as it sounds. According to Shark Week, Colossus is 15 feet long and notorious for its deadly, mid-air assaults. Additionally, the gigantic marine predator is as thick as a school bus! And if that still doesn’t intimidate you, we might want to add that Colossus also weighs more than 3,000 lbs or a midsize sedan! The great white shark was last spotted near South Africa although its present location is pretty much unknown at this point.
Slash
You might be surprised to hear that this shark is even larger than Colossus, with a length of 16 feet. Given the nickname Slash, this great white shark has a distinguishable big scar on the left portion of its face. If you think about it, the moniker “Scarface” would have suited him better but hey, we’re not the ones doing the hunting. Slash mostly appears by the coast of New Zealand where he hunts seals for their healthy fat contents. The scariest thing about Slash is perhaps his highly attuned sneak attack maneuvers and infamous reputation as one of the most aggressive great white sharks in the entire world.
The Cuban “El Monstruo”
“El Monstruo” or “The Monster” when translated to English, was spotted by local Cubans in 1945. This enormous great white shark is among the biggest that was ever found. Normally, great white sharks are somewhere between 11 to 16 feet long. This one, however, terrorizes the oceans with 21 feet of pure muscle and razor-sharp teeth earning him the nickname El Monstruo. Its sheer dimensions alone are more than enough to freak out the bravest of fishermen. The giant was caught in Cojimar, Cuba where the famed photograph was taken.
The PEI Shark
You might have already noticed a pattern here or not but the most coveted sharks on the show typically belong to the mysterious great white species since these aquatic predators are distinguished for their colossal size and nasty disposition. Another notable great white shark on this list is PEI which measures 17 feet long. Its measurements are also the most precise in the world. This gigantic great white was 20 years of age during the time of its capture, which means it was a middle-aged specimen. Scientists think that despite its abnormally large size, PEI still had the potential to grow even bigger. The name PEI pertained to the location where the great white shark was captured which is Prince Edward Island in Canada.
Submarine
Finally, we have a great white shark that was reported to have measured somewhere between 24 and 30 feet long, giving it the title of the biggest shark on this list. With a fitting nickname of “The Submarine”, this shark was tracked down off the coast of South Africa. Regrettably, though, there was no actual footage or photograph ever captured on the behemoth. Some have gossiped that Submarine was likely a fictional shark and was the result of a delusional Shark Week crew. Discovery Channel though, stuck with its facts, stating that actual encounters with the gigantic shark can be traced back as far as 1970. The network puts Submarine at the top of its list of the most unbelievable sharks. Although there is a diverse assortment of shark species on the planet, the great white still, up to this day, manages to captivate our imaginations.