{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "basking-shark",
  "name": "Basking Shark",
  "scientificName": "Cetorhinus maximus",
  "category": "Fish",
  "summary": "The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is the world's second-largest fish, a gentle filter feeder that swims open-mouthed through plankton blooms in cool temperate seas including the UK, Ireland, California, and New Zealand. Adults may reach 8 m and several tonnes and are listed Endangered after historic fisheries and slow reproduction.",
  "conservationStatus": "Endangered",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Chondrichthyes",
    "order": "Lamniformes",
    "family": "Cetorhinidae",
    "genus": "Cetorhinus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 4000,
    "lengthM": 8,
    "topSpeedKmh": 20,
    "lifespanYears": 50
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Cetorhinus maximus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Filter feeder (plankton)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Coastal and shelf surface waters"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Around 50 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "About 4000 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to roughly 20 km/h when moving at speed."
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Endangered (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Cool temperate oceans worldwide, including the UK, Ireland, California, and New Zealand.",
    "continents": [
      "North America",
      "Europe",
      "Asia",
      "Oceania"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/basking-shark/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/basking-shark/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}