Humans have little sympathy for the great white shark thanks in the U.S. to the movie ?Jaws.?

As much as some might dislike them, there are interesting things to know about great white sharks. Things that might save a life.

Great whites are known for striking once and then letting the prey escape to the surface, only to inflict a second attack when the prey is debilitated by bleeding. Scientists think great whites do this because, unlike other sharks, the great white does not have a protective membrane over its eyes, which leaves its eyes exposed to a blow from the claw of its preferred prey, the seal.

Great whites prefer seals because seals have lots of the body fat great whites need to thrive in cold waters. The great white, like many sharks, has to swim continuously to breath by taking in oxygen rich water, which enters the gills through the mouth.

That?s why 55 to 80% of the great whites? human victims survive an attack: the great white bites a skinny human leg, lets go to protect is eyes and decides whether the bite was fatty enough. If not, the great white may move onto to fattier prospects.

Today, the great white is the largest shark at up to 24 feet long and 3.4 tons, but 65 million years ago, its relative, the procarcharodon megaladon, reached a length of 44 feet.

Sharks may be terrifying to humans, but, in general, sharks have more to fear from humans, especially Asians. Once considered a delicacy that only the elite could afford, shark fin soup is being consumed by growing Chinese middle class.

Sharks are caught, the fin is slashed off and, still alive, the shark is left in the water to suffocate.