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objects. In the wild, sometimes blue sharks will swim near islands, but these islands are usually small and in the middle of the ocean. It’s rare that a blue shark will come near a large land mass, such as North America. Blue sharks need lots of space to stay healthy and happy.

Watch as these brave South African divers get up close and personal with blue sharks in the open ocean! Later, you’ll learn how you can have the same experience.

While blue sharks have the ability to move quickly, they usually take things at a slow and comfortable pace. Blue sharks spend most of their time in cool water, swimming slowly, far from the coastline. They do have the ability to move quickly when it’s time to hunt, but they spend plenty of time conserving their energy in chilly waters. Blue sharks use their extremely large pectoral fins to propel them through the water as needed. These fins help sharks stay afloat and conserve energy, which is important, as blue sharks travel extreme distances during migration. Since their bodies are quite slim by nature, it’s important that their long-distance swimming does not cause them to burn lots of valuable fat that they might need during times when food is scarce. Some blue sharks have even been known to circle the globe several times over the course of their lifetimes.

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