When you are content and in a good mood, you are likely to be pleasant and may find yourself smiling more often. Conversely, when you are tired and hungry, feeling irritable and discontented, you may be less inclined to smile and more prone to snapping at others.

In various footage, great white sharks (GWs) have been observed exhibiting different behaviors depending on their circumstances. When they are content, well-fed, and not experiencing any hunger, they have been filmed by divers, sometimes without the use of shark cages. During such instances (condition A), these sharks displayed no apparent aggression towards the divers.

On the other hand, there is also footage showing medium to large GW sharks engaging in aggressive feeding behaviors towards seals. Notably, this footage was not captured by divers using subsurface cameras. The reason for this is quite clear: in condition B, no one was willing to risk entering the water, despite previous experiences in condition A.

The amount of time great white sharks spend in condition A versus condition B would require long-term observation by specialists. Given their semi-warm-blooded physiology, they likely need to consume more preferred prey to sustain their energy levels compared to cold-blooded species. This suggests that they may spend more time in an aggressive feeding mode than, for instance, tiger sharks.

The same physiology is shared by porbeagles and other similar shark species, which may also exhibit similar behaviors. There are approximately five species with this physiological trait, according to a brief search on the topic. In areas where large “Porgies” are found, such as off the north coast, there is often more information available about them and their related species.

It is worth noting that engaging in free-swimming activities with these sharks involves accepting a certain level of risk for the divers involved. What remains unknown is how individual sharks may have different “personalities” and varying thresholds for tolerating the presence of divers or being annoyed by their excessive presence.

Ultimately, sharks can display a range of behaviors, and the acceptance of any risks associated with diving alongside them highlights the divers’ understanding of the potential dangers and their willingness to engage with these fascinating creatures.