What do sharks eat? Surprising feeding habits of great white sharks, hammerheads and more.

Sharks may have a reputation as vicious predators à la “Jaws” and “The Meg,” but they don't have the taste for humans that's popularly depicted on the silver screen.

Sharks fear us more than we fear them, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) reports commercial fisheries kill more than 100 million sharks per year. Around half of shark species are threatened or near threatened with extinction.

In contrast, in 2023 there were 69 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks and 14 shark-related fatalities.

What do sharks eat?

Sharks mostly eat other marine animals, often invertebrates, or plankton. Their diet consists of small fish, mollusks, crustaceans and sometimes bigger species like dolphins or sea lions. Most sharks swallow their food whole but some “filter feeders” take in mouthfuls of water and sift out plankton, shrimp and small fish with their gills, according to the IFAW.

They aren't picky, however: “Things like tires, license plates, a fur coat, a chicken coop, and even a full suit of armor have been found in their stomachs,” NOAA writes.

Sharks fast and can go up to six weeks without feeding. The record for shark fasting, set by a Swell Shark, is 15 months.

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What do whale sharks eat?

Whale sharks are primarily planktivores, meaning they mostly feed on plankton but will also eat small fish. They’re also filter feeders and spend almost eight hours a day gulping ocean water to filter for plankton, according to National Geographic.

Whale sharks may also eat “standing up,” with their tail pointed to the ocean floor, in areas heavily populated with small fish. Opening and closing their mouth creates suction that pulls the fish and surrounding water toward them.

What do great white sharks eat?

Great white sharks are opportunistic eaters with a diet of fish, invertebrates and marine mammals. Young sharks eat small fish, smaller sharks, rays, squids and older sharks feed on seals, sea lions and occasionally dead whales.

What do hammerhead sharks eat?

Hammerheads are aggressive predators; the placement of their eyes gives them a better visual ability to scan for food. They eat smaller fish, octopuses, squid and crustaceans.

Do sharks eat humans?

Humans are not a part of a normal shark diet because they evolved millions of years before humans.

Shark attacks happen when the animals are confused or curious. They are attracted to sound, color and blood according to NOAA. They gravitate toward irregular sounds, like a swimmer or fish in distress. Current research shows yellow, white and silver attract them because they may be able to distinguish light from dark.

Blood alone may not draw sharks, but it makes them more prone to attack if they sense it with these other “unusual factors,” NOAA reports.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What do sharks eat? Great white, whale, hammerhead shark diets