20ft ‘mega sharks’ filmed off Hawaii – hunting in packs

SHARK researchers in the South Pacific are going to need a bigger boat.

Studies have found that great whites and tiger sharks have grown to “insane” sizes after gorging on prey in protected no-fishing zones, with some “mega sharks” now 20ft long.

A National Geographic documentary to be aired this Friday shows some of the largest great whites ever recorded, found off the coast of Hawaii, where protections are in place to help the apex predators and their prey.

In January it became the first state in the US to ban shark fishing.

While female great whites are usually about 15ft to 16ft long, and males 11ft to 13ft, researchers observed 20ft females in US territorial waters.

In another startling discovery, researchers found the usually solitary great whites hunting in groups.

After three 20ft great whites were filmed eating a whale carcass, marine biologist Dr Chris Lowe said: “Finding one white shark and a whale, sure.

“Getting three large female white sharks on a whale, that’s different.”