They were on an expedition, and according to Scripps PhD candidate Jack Elstner, who was on the trip, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience because they were able to get super close! Not only did they see him, they actually got to see the Basking Shark… Well, basking!<\/p>\n
Related: Kind Woman Risks It All To Help Beached Shark and It\u2019s So Beautiful<\/a><\/p>\n Basking Sharks Are Filter Feeders<\/p>\n Basking sharks are absolutely massive: they’re the second-largest shark species on the planet! You might think that they get to that size by eating huge fish, or entire schools of tiny ones… But that’s not the case. Basking Sharks are filter feeders!<\/p>\n Basking shark with their mouth open.Image via Shutterstock / Simon Burt<\/p>\n Some studies claim that Basking Sharks have at least 1,000 tiny teeth,<\/a> but they’re not used for eating! As filter feeders, Basking Sharks have specialized rakers to consume:<\/p>\n Shrimps\/small crustaceans.<\/p>\n They eat massive amounts of them at a time. Basking sharks filter about 2,000 tons of water through their gill rakers per hour, netting them hundreds of pounds of food per day.<\/p>\n Why Are They Called ‘Basking Sharks?’<\/p>\n Basking sharks are called that because of the way they eat. Typically, you’ll find them “basking” near the surface of the water. That’s where some of the most nutritious zooplankton and other tiny species are!<\/p>\n Occasionally, you’ll catch them hanging out of the water a little bit. They can be found all over, though there’s something special about those California sharks!<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc36<\/a>SIGN UP to get “pawsitivity” delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends<\/a>\ud83d\udc3e\ud83d\udc3e<\/a><\/p>\n This story was originally published by Parade Pets<\/a> on Apr 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News<\/a> section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Basking](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/28f7deaeab96ee68d2003ce15f00f22e.jpeg\"\/)
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