The energy and food intake needs of white sharks are much higher than previously thought.
White sharks were previously believed to be able to survive on a 30kg meal for around one and a half months, but new research has shown that a meal of that size would actually only support a large shark for between 12 and 15 days.
Understanding the energy requirements of apex predators is vital in discerning the needs of sustainable ecosystems and for answering ecological questions about species whose populations are poorly known. This is particularly true with sharks, as their populations are very easily over-exploited and difficult to study.
Andrew Loyd
Stay at home dad
This may explain the greater presence of Whites in Western Australia.
Whales appear more prevalent which Whites gorge on prior to mating.
Seals turned up in the 80s on Rottnest Island. Their numbers appear to be higher.
Whites are turning up at large fin-fish spawning aggregations both inshore and offshore.
The food is there, the only other telling point may show otherwise if water cools after a strong La Nina and the White numbers drop inshore as they head back out.