Megalodon Shark

Imagine an animal bigger than the famed T-Rex, and larger than a greyhound bus, which could exert over 40,000 pounds of bite force per square inch. Imagine something so terrifying that it could eat an adult horse or rhinoceros in one gulp; a creature that weighed upwards of 60 tons, with a mouth full of razor sharp teeth.

If you close your eyes for just a second and are able to imagine that, you will have some idea of what the Megalodon was like when it was alive and master of the seas.

Very little is known about the Megalodon. Scientists are unsure why this giant carnivore died out, but it's thought that a lack of food helped to drive it into extinction. Certainly, a carnivore that large would require massive amounts of meat to survive. As the earth's temperature fluctuated, and larger animals began to die out, the Megalodon would have faced a dwindling food supply.

It's thought that Megalodon feasted on large sea creatures, such as full-grown whales. In sheer size, Megalodon is second only to the sperm whale and it's possible that the Megalodon used its size to stun prey. We know that the Great White uses ambush tactics to kill its prey, but it's thought that Megalodon employed its ferocious biting power, size and speed to kill prey quickly. After all, even a whale would bleed out quickly if they were unfortunate enough to be bitten by a Megalodon.

How Big Were The Teeth and Does The Megalodon Have Any Ancestors Today?

The largest Megalodon shark tooth to have been found was around 7 inches in length. It's also thought that the Megalodon is the descendant of the Great White. However, while both a Great White's and Megalodon's teeth are serrated, scientists say that the Great White has more in common with today's Mako shark, than it does with Megalodon.

If this is the case, it's very possible that the Megalodon is the last of its breed. Unable to sustain its voracious appetite, it's quite possible that the Megalodon was the last giant shark to hunt the high seas.

There is no definitive proof that the Megalodon is alive today. Most scientists believe that they died out anywhere from five million to ten thousand years ago.

However, if the extinction date is closer to ten thousand years ago than five million, one could make the case that in terms of evolution, this isn't a lot of time. In fact, that's a drop of water in the bucket of evolution.

Could the Megalodon have survived?

It's extremely unlikely. The sheer size of the Megalodon would mean that it had a huge appetite. Surely we would have run into one by now, or noticed the swath of devastation it would have left in its wake. On the internet, there are dozens of reports about giant sharks being spotted, some being reported to be over 100 feet in length.

A large portion of the earth is covered with water, and it's true that we have been unable to explore a lot of it. There are new species discovered on a consistent basis, but could something as large as the Megalodon escape detection for thousands of years?

Again, that's up to you to decide, but I find it extremely unlikely. Even so, it's a thought that makes me pause for a few seconds before I turn the light out at night. If the Megalodon is alive, it would be the most fearsome carnivore on the planet.