1. Basking Sharks
Cetorhinus maximus

2. Class: Chondrichthyes
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Lamniformes
Genus: Cetorhinus
Family: Cetorhinidae
Species: maximus

3. Length and Mass
The Basking shark is between 20 and 26 ft and it weighs up to 4 tons.

4. Where are they found…
They can be found in coastal temperate waters. They spend most of their time at the surface which is why they have become known as the “sunfish”.

5. Diet
Basking sharks are filter feeders which sieve small animals such as plankton, baby fish, and fish eggs from the water.

6. Interesting Facts
They are naturally slow swimmers, swimming no faster than 3 mph. They swim by moving their entire bodies from side to side.
They travel alone, in pairs, or in schools of up to 100.

7. Human Impact
Basking Sharks are at a risk of extinction due to overfishing to supply the market with fins, flesh, organs, and oil.