Great white shark

"The white death could swallow us whole!"

―Edward Kenway while hunting a great white.

Edward Kenway facing off against a great white shark

Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are a species of shark that can be found in the coastal waters of every major ocean. The largest known predatory fish in the world, they possess nearly 300 serrated teeth arranged in rows.

While great whites are known to attack humans, they tend to do so out of curiosity, rather than hunger, essentially "sample biting" and then releasing their victims.

History

During the 18th century, great whites were hunted by various individuals, including the pirate Edward Kenway and the Assassin-turned-Templar Shay Cormac. They could be found in the Charlotte and Serranilla regions of the Caribbean and the Halifax region of the North Atlantic. After a great white was killed, the spoils were usually either sold for profit or used to craft other materials, such as armor.

Behavior

A frequent target of harpoon-wielding hunters, great whites nonetheless proved difficult to hit, in spite of their size. This was largely due to their unpredictable swimming patterns. Even when hit, great whites were quick to tear the harpoon's rope and go on the offensive, either by ramming the whaling boat or launching themselves at it from beneath the surface.

Trivia

• While "great white shark bone" is one of the resources that can be gained from hunting great whites in-game, they do not actually possess traditional bones. Rather, their skeletons are made of a substance named cartilage, which is lighter and more flexible.

Gallery

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  Concept art of a great white
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  Concept art of an injured great white
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  Concept art of Edward battling a great white
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  Concept art of Edward battling a great white