[5] Adult salmon sharks are medium grey to black over most of the body, with a white underside with darker blotches.

[6] The salmon shark generally grows to between 200 and 260 cm (6.6–8.6 ft) in length and weighs up to 220 kg (485 lb).

Studies on prey consumption show that salmon sharks have similar energetic requirements as sea lions and other piscivorous marine animals.

[10] Reproductive timing is not well understood, but it is believed the sharks are on a two-year cycle, with mating occurring in the late summer to early autumn.

[4] This is accomplished by vascular counter-current heat exchangers, known as retia mirabilia, Latin for "wonderful nets".

This minimizes heat lost to the environment, allowing salmon sharks to thrive in cold waters.

[13] North of the equator, in the northern Pacific Ocean, the salmon shark is relatively common in continental offshore waters, where it ranges from inshore to just off the coast.

[13] The species is believed to range as far south as the Sea of Japan and as far north as 65°N in Alaska, notably appearing en masse in Prince William Sound during the annual salmon run.

Individuals have been observed diving as deep as 668 m (2,192 ft),[14] but they are believed to spend most of their time in epipelagic waters.

According to a study in 2008, salmon sharks have been observed to use area restricted search behaviors in both southern and northern Pacific Ocean regions.

Juvenile salmon sharks stick to more coastal regions along the west coast of North America.

Sport fishermen are allowed one salmon shark per day from April 1 and ending the following March 31 in British Columbia.

[19] The flesh of the fish is used for human consumption, and in the Japanese city of Kesennuma, Miyagi, the heart is considered a delicacy for use in sashimi.

They are considered least concern, however juvenile salmon sharks are extremely susceptible to temperature changes in coastal waters.