Exotic Zoo in Telford, UK is to display a life-size cast of a megalodon jaw in its new natural history museum.
The five-foot-high and five-foot-wide jaw, which has travelled to the UK from Ukraine as part of a new exhibition, contains 276 teeth cast from real megalodon fangs.
“There are very few megalodon jaw casts on display across the UK and we are delighted to have this incredible exhibition in place,” said Scott Adams, museum curator and Exotic Zoo director. “Being such a giant animal not seen in the living world today it mesmerises people and catches the attention of our young visitors who always ask about them and are very aware of them.”
Largest sharks to ever exist
In addition to the giant jaw, the exhibition will display some of the largest real megalodon teeth ever discovered.
Extinct megalodon sharks lived around 23 to 3.6 million years ago. They were the largest sharks to ever exist and inspired 2018 and 2023 films The Meg and Meg 2: The Trench, starring Jason Statham.
Per a press release, experts estimate that a full-grown megalodon would have weighed the equivalent of 30 adult great weight sharks. They also had a bite force three times greater than a T-Rex’s bite.
Adams added, “Our visitors are always fascinated by our dinosaur exhibition, from common fossils to entire in tact dinosaur skeletons, we’re proud to have assembled such an amazing and unique collection of genuine dinosaur fossils and other fossils found in one place.”
Images courtesy of Exotic Zoo
