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Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are among the most feared and powerful predators today. However, their existence isn't as simple as what horror films depict. With a slow growth rate and limited offspring, these sharks are considered vulnerable to extinction.
To ensure their survival, these sharks established nurseries—specialized areas where great white shark babies, or pups, could be shielded from other dangers. Now, a team of researchers from the University of Vienna has confirmed that such nurseries existed in ancient times.
In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, Jamie A. Villafaña from the Institute of Palaeontology describes a fossilized nursery discovered in Coquimbo, Chile. While studying fossilized great white shark teeth ranging from 2 to 5 million years old along the Pacific coast of Chile and Peru, researchers found a surprising concentration of young shark teeth in Coquimbo, along with a complete absence of mature shark teeth. This suggests that the site served as a nursery primarily for pups and juvenile sharks.
While modern great white sharks are known to protect their young in specific areas, this marks the first discovery of a paleo-nursery. Given the much warmer climate when this paleo-nursery was active, the researchers believe these protective habitats could provide insights into how great white sharks might endure global warming trends.
