Great white sharks possess an exceptionally keen sense of smell and complementary electroreceptors, enabling them to detect tiny concentrations of blood and home in on prey with high precision
Olfaction ability
Great white sharks have highly developed olfactory organs that allow them to detect minute traces of blood in seawater. Statements commonly report sensitivity to the equivalent of a single drop of blood diluted in about 100 litres of water, a capability that helps them locate injured or distant prey under the right conditions.
Ampullae of Lorenzini and electroreception
Alongside smell, great whites use specialised sensors called ampullae of Lorenzini to detect the weak electric fields produced by muscle contractions and nerve activity in other animals. This form of electroreception lets sharks find hidden or stationary prey even when visibility is poor.
Multi sensory hunting strategy
The combination of exceptional smell, acute hearing and electroreception, supported by keen vision at close range, makes great whites versatile predators that can detect, track and strike prey in diverse conditions from murky shallows to deeper waters.
Environmental factors and limitations
Scent detection and electroreception are influenced by water temperature, currents and turbulence. While sharks are extremely sensitive, detection range and accuracy depend on environmental conditions and the nature of the chemical or electrical signal emitted by potential prey.
Ecological importance
These sensory adaptations underpin the great white’s role as an apex predator, shaping hunting behaviour, predator-prey interactions and coastal ecosystem dynamics, while also highlighting why encounters with injured marine animals can draw sharks from considerable distances.
Takeaway
Great white sharks combine an extraordinarily sensitive sense of smell with electroreceptors to detect tiny amounts of blood and weak bioelectric signals, giving them the sensory toolkit needed to hunt effectively even in challenging marine environments.