Basking sharks can swim as fast and leap as high as the terrifying Great White, it has been revealed. The languid creature, known as the gentle giant of the sea, has been filmed for the first time achieving the same athletic feats as its famous man-eating cousin. Gliding through the ocean and feeding on tiny animals, the world's second biggest fish appears far more peaceful than its ferocious relative. But remarkable new footage shows despite their bulk they can hit speeds more than twice as fast as an Olympic swimmer - and leap four feet above the surface.