The Carcharocles Megalodon was the largest shark ever known to have lived on this earth. The impressive prehistoric giant belongs to the mackerel shark family (Lamniformes).

Based on the fossil shark tooth finds, it is assumed that the largest specimen was an impressive 20 metres long and had a calculated weight of 103 tonnes. On average, the Megalodon reached a length of 12 - 14 metres. By comparison, a full-grown African elephant weighs only around six tonnes, which illustrates the immense size of the Megalodon.

According to the latest research findings, it lived between 3.6 and 20 million years ago (source: Robert Boessenecker (College of Charleston)). Fossil finds indicate that the Megalodon was found in almost all of the world's oceans, with the exception of Antarctica.

The Megalodon prefers warmer waters, especially for its offspring. The nurseries of the Megalodon were found in the Gatun Formation in Panama, the Peace River in Canada and the Bone Valley in Florida. Small teeth of young animals were found here in large numbers and almost exclusively. The only silent witnesses to its existence and past times are its fossilised teeth.

The most impressive feature of the Megalodon was undoubtedly its gigantic set of teeth. At over three metres wide and more than 2.5 metres high, it was larger than a small car and the largest tooth ever found is an impressive 18.2cm long. Stretch out your hand and you will get a feel for the fascinating length of a single, razor-sharp tooth of the Carcharocles Megalodon. Several dozen of these teeth as a giant set of teeth formed a deadly weapon that the shark could still use as a saw by moving.

The bite force of the Megalodon. was enormous and is estimated at 10.8 to 18.2 tonnes per square centimetre, which is about ten times the bite force of a Great White Shark.

The Megalodon. was an apex predator with no natural enemies. Its diet consisted mainly of large marine animals such as whales, seals, manatees and other sharks. Researchers assume that it consumed more than 1,000 kg of food every day. Its hunting strategy was remarkably efficient: it first immobilised its prey with targeted bites to the fins or chest area before devouring it completely.

It is assumed that several factors led to its extinction. Scientists are not yet in complete agreement on this. Among other things, the smaller and more manoeuvrable great white shark and killer whales are seen as food competitors and a threat to the offspring of the giant Megalodon . Furthermore, the whales, which were the Megalodon's favourite prey, continued to evolve. Their tail fins and swimming muscles continued to develop, making them too fast for the large and therefore more sluggish hunter. Furthermore, the whales migrated to the north and thus to colder regions where the Megalodon could not follow.

Although speculation about the possible survival of the Megalodon up to the present day has repeatedly surfaced, scientists consider this to be extremely unlikely. An animal of this size could not have remained undetected in the shallow, warm seas that it favoured.