Incredible footage has captured one of the world’s most dangerous predators in action – a terrifying 1,500lb great white shark snapping at bait.
Like something from a Steven Spielberg epic, the 12ft terror nimbly glides through the water in Guadalupe Island, Mexico, and opens its powerful jaws to snap at anything in its eyeline.
Other terrifying pictures showed the grizzled shark lunging at trailing bait, with deep scars clearly visible around its jaws.
Incredible video footage has captured the 1,500lb great white shark nicknamed ‘Brutus’ (pictured) in action at Guadalupe Island, near Mexico
Like something from a Steven Spielberg epic, the 12ft terror nimbly glides through the water and opens its powerful jaws to snap at anything in sight
The stunning clips were taken during a cage-diving experience just off the Mexican island earlier this month by London-based photographer Euan Rannachan, 36.
In the video, the 1,500lb great white shark nicknamed Brutus can be seen baring his six-inch teeth and swiping at bait released by the photographer’s team.
Referring to Brutus as the ‘world’s toughest great white shark’, Euan explained how the beast worked up a frenzy before the photographer captured the images.
‘We had an incredible season out at Guadalupe Island this year, with many active sharks,’ he said.
Pictured: Brutus bares the two rows of six-inch teeth for the camera as he attacks a meal
Another image shows the powerful sea monster clasping his jaws onto the bail that was trailed by Euan’s boat
‘Probably the most active of them all was Brutus. On this particular day, he had started out investigating the bait we had out but wasn’t that interested.
‘Then, out of nowhere, a sealion showed up and started taunting him by swimming around him in circles and biting his caudal fin.
‘You could see his mood change quickly and he soon was trying to take his frustrations out on the bait.’
Rare close-up footage has captured ‘Brutus’ lunging at his prey as he swims through Guadalupe Island, Mexico
Great white sharks are the largest predatory fish on Earth and can grow up to 20 feet in length and weigh over 5,000 pounds
Great white sharks are the largest predatory fish on Earth and can grow up to 20 feet in length and weigh over 5,000 pounds.
Although frequently portrayed as ‘mindless killers’ – mainly due to blockbuster movies like Steven Spielberg’s Jaws – great white sharks are actually very sensitive, intelligent creatures which have little interest in eating humans.
However, due to overfishing, the species is classed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
But Euan, who runs his own cage-diving experience called Be A Shark, explained how he managed to tease the incredible footage out of the feral fish.
‘I used Brutus’s frustration to my advantage and realised that I could guess when he would open his mouth and get myself into position to take the photo,’ added Euan.
‘I’m glad I did, because only seconds later, he attacked the bait right in front of me multiple times – and I had a front row seat.’
The grizzled shark’s battle scars be seen on the left-hand side of its head and nose (above)
According to National Geographic, great whites are highly adapted predators, and their mouths are lined with up to 300 serrated, triangular teeth arranged in several rows, and they have an exceptional sense of smell to detect prey.
They even have organs that can sense the tiny electromagnetic fields generated by animals.
Their main prey items include sea lions, seals, small toothed whales, and even sea turtles, and carrion.
