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View from below of white shark swimming in the ocean

White sharks occur in coastal, shelf, and continental slope waters around Australia from the Montebello Islands in north-western Western Australia, south around the coast to at least as far north as central Queensland including Tasmanian waters.

They also move between eastern Australia and south Pacific waters (including New Zealand) and between South Africa and Western Australia. The population implications of these movements are unknown.

Their movements indicate a pattern of temporary residency at favoured sites intermixed with periods of long-distance travel between such sites that may include common corridors of travel.

Areas close to favoured sites and common corridors of travel are likely to experience higher encounter frequencies with white sharks.

Great white shark swimming in the ocean
Information about white sharks has been elusive, but our research provides insight into their population and movements

White sharks occur in coastal, shelf, and continental slope waters around Australia from the Montebello Islands in north-western Western Australia, south around the coast to at least as far north as central Queensland including Tasmanian waters.

They also move between eastern Australia and south Pacific waters (including New Zealand) and between South Africa and Western Australia. The population implications of these movements are unknown.

Their movements indicate a pattern of temporary residency at favoured sites intermixed with periods of long-distance travel between such sites that may include common corridors of travel.

Areas close to favoured sites and common corridors of travel are likely to experience higher encounter frequencies with white sharks.

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