The largest of the great white sharks found off Southern California and other parts of the world can exert up to 4,000 pounds of pressure when they bite into something, says a new study by scientists in Australia and California. (Click image to enlarge.)

The force of the shark’s bite is more than 700 pounds harder than that of the largest African lion and roughly 3,800 pounds harder than that of humans, claims the study, which is based on 3-D computer modeling of a shark’s skull, jaw and muscles. The modeling represents the most sophisticated analysis yet of a great white’s bite.

“Nature has endowed this carnivore with more than enough bite force to kill and eat large and potentially dangerous prey,” lead author Stephen Wroe of Australia’s University of New South Wales says in a news release issued today.

“Pound for pound the great white’s bite is not particularly impressive, but the sheer size of the animal means that in absolute terms it tops the scales. It must also be remembered that its extremely sharp serrated teeth require relatively little force to drive them through thick skin, fat and muscle.”

Great whites are periodically sighted off Southern California. As our Laylan Connelly reported, there were two sightings off Huntington Beach earlier this year. And scientists say that female great whites migrate to Southern California to give birth.

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Posted in: Ain't that interesting? • Coastal marine life |

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