yego.me
💡 Stop wasting time. Read Youtube instead of watch. Download Chrome Extension

Great White Sharks of Guadalupe Island | Most Wanted Sharks


2m read
·Nov 11, 2024

NARRATOR: But everyone loves Lucy. The story of this great white is the classic "Finding Nemo" tale, but about 2,000 pounds heavier. When divers spotted Lucy back in 2008, her distinctive tail wound looked fresh. And she seemed in desperate need of a good meal. A damaged caudal often puts a shark's life in danger. It's crucial for propelling a shark through water.

APRYL BOYLE: Lucy's tail deformity could be from fighting with another shark when she was younger.

NARRATOR: And Lucy's not only survived, she's thrived. She did it by modifying the way she swims to sway a little more than the average great white. And now Lucy's adoring public keeps an eye out for her signature floppy fin and her unique swagger. Unlike other female great whites, Lucy returns to Guadalupe Island every year. And that is because she has not given birth yet. If she did, she'd be gone at least 12 to 18 months, because that's how long a shark pregnancy lasts.

NARRATOR: Fans don't know for sure why Lucy is still not a mom. It could be that male sharks are turned off by her misshapen fin. Or maybe Lucy hasn't yet met Zapata, the most famous and recognizable male great white of Guadalupe Island. This tough guy is a 14-footer, who has mixed it up with other apex predators and has the battle scars to prove it.

RALPH COLLIER: Zapata is a very large shark. To sustain the wounds it received, the attacking shark must have been very large, possibly 18 or 20 feet in length.

NARRATOR: He might not play well with other sharks. But luckily, unlike Bullet, Zapata actually enjoys hanging out with people. That's my favorite shark right there, Zapata.

NARRATOR: Scarboard, at an intimidating 18 feet long, isn't just one of the most massive sharks at Guadalupe Island, she's one of the biggest great whites in the world. But like all sharks, no one will know for sure how old she is until after she dies.

RALPH COLLIER: One of the ways to determine the age of a shark is by dissecting it. If we cut through a vertebra, we can see rings similar to those of a tree showing annual growth. She got her nautically themed name because of scars on the right, or starboard, side of her body.

APRYL BOYLE: When sharks engage in head-to-head combat, they can do incredible damage to each other, which is what happened to Scarboard. But sharks have amazing healing abilities.

NARRATOR: Scarboard shows up at Guadalupe every other year. And the next time you see her, many of her scars might be gone. Bullet, Lucy, Zapata, and Scarboard, four sharks whose physical flaws grabbed our attention and helped make them famous.

More Articles

View All
Marriage Advice - Smarter Every Day 181
Okay, story time. About 15 years ago, I was just about to get married, and like in the tux is the whole bit. My dad looks at me, and he says, “Son, no matter what your wife makes to eat, you eat it, and you ask for seconds, no questions asked.” Well, a s…
YC Fireside: Surbhi Sarna + Adam Elsesser - CEO of Penumbra
Hi everybody, welcome! And Adam, thank you so much for being here today. Yeah, thank you for having me. I, uh, I want to apologize in advance maybe there’s a little noise in the background. My headphones didn’t work and I’m at a medical conference, so ho…
How to sell a $13,500,000 private jet!
I saw your advertisement for a Global Express. It’s your 2005. What can I tell you? How much are you wanting for it? 13 million 500,000. Are you doing this for a customer? No, we are currently… we have a small jet at the moment. We have a little L 35A.…
3 rules to quickly improve your life
Okay, so here are three rules to live by that will quickly improve your life. Rule number one: Follow the path of most resistance. Now, this obviously isn’t an absolute rule. Like, you probably have a lot of resistance towards driving into oncoming traff…
Jesus Christ and Christianity | World History | Khan Academy
We’re now going to talk about the beginnings of one of the most important religions in human history, and even today the largest religion on earth, and that of course is Christianity. The central figure in Christianity is Jesus Christ, and the term “Chris…
The Housing Market Is ABOUT TO BOTTOM
What’s up, Graham? It’s guys here. So, to give you some context, just over a year ago, people were buying up as much toilet paper as they could, emptying it from shelves and causing the price to skyrocket as high as $100 a roll. Well, as you would expect…