Overview

The porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus) is a member of the Lamnidae family, which also includes the great white shark. They have a streamlined, torpedo-shaped body with a pointed snout and a large, crescent-shaped tail. Their coloration is typically dark gray to blue on the dorsal side and white on the ventral side. Porbeagles are distinguished from other similar species, such as the mako shark, by their shorter, more rounded snout and their lack of a prominent keel on the underside of their caudal peduncle.

Commonly found in:

1. Canada
2. Iceland
3. Ireland
4. Norway
5. Portugal
6. Spain
7. United Kingdom
8. United States
9. France
10. Denmark
11. Greenland
12. Japan
13. New Zealand
14. Australia
15. South Africa

Over the past 82 years, there have been 5 recorded attacks by porbeagle sharks. Of these attacks, they have occurred at sea and at the following beaches:

• LIST OF BEACHES HERE

Size and Weight

• Size: Males average between 5-6.5 feet when mature; females average between 6-8 feet when mature
• Weight: Males typically weigh 135-200 pounds; females typically weigh 200-300 pounds
• Swimming speed: Both sexes can reach speeds of up to 30 mph

Interaction with Humans

• Interaction with Humans: Rarely interact with humans; not considered dangerous
• Avoidance: Stay out of cold, temperate waters; avoid swimming during low light conditions
• Activity: Most active during dawn and dusk

Lifespan and Diet

• Lifespan: Males live approximately 30-40 years; females live approximately 40-50 years
• Diet: Primarily fish, squid, and other sharks; hunts by chasing prey at high speeds

Migratory Patterns

Porbeagle sharks exhibit seasonal migratory patterns. They typically move northward in the spring and summer, and southward in the fall and winter. In the western North Atlantic, they migrate from waters off New England and Nova Scotia to areas around the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. Some individuals may travel as far south as New Jersey and North Carolina in winter. In the eastern North Atlantic, they move between the waters off Norway and the British Isles to the Bay of Biscay and occasionally the Mediterranean Sea. Southern Hemisphere populations show similar patterns, moving between temperate and subantarctic waters off New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina.