Great Hammerhead Shark Facts
CONSERVATION STATUS:
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Fun Facts!
*Hammerhead sharks like to swim sideways.
*They have better depth perception than other sharks.
*Hammerheads can see 360 degrees except a blind spot in front of it’s nose.
*They often swim in large schools of sharks.
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Sphyrna mokarran
LIFE SPAN:
up to 44 years
SIZE:
WEIGHT:
up to 1000 pounds
DIET:
Giant hammerhead sharks are apex predators, and they are known to eat other sharks. They can eat invertebrates, such as crabs and lobsters, bony fish, and any fish they can get their teeth on. One of the most common meals for sharks are stingrays, and they are resistant to stingray barbs. Hammerhead sharks are also known to sometimes be cannibals, meaning they will eat other hammerhead sharks!
PReDATORS:
Juvenile hammerhead sharks will be attacked by larger bull sharks or even other hammerhead sharks. Killer whales will rarely attack sharks if the whales do not have their normal source of food.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
The hammerhead shark gets its nickname from the shape of its head, which is shaped like a hammer or a T. They usually have light gray skin on the top of their body and white skin on the bottom side. Their eyes are on the edges of their head, which gives them a wide view to better find prey. They can see below and above themselves at the same time. The great hammerhead shark is the largest of the nine species of hammerhead sharks. It also has a very large dorsal fin that looks like a sickle. The mouth is located under the head and contains sharp, serrated teeth.
BEHAVIOR:
Hammerhead sharks are very aggressive and are very aggressive hunters. They are not known to attack humans for food, but they are very defensive and will attack humans when provoked. Great hammerheads will migrate to cooler waters during the summer and back to warmer waters during the winter. They usually live in tropical areas near the shoreline for better hunting and for warmer waters. Hammerhead sharks are oviparous, meaning that they lay eggs when giving birth rather than birthing live young. They can give birth to 30 or 40 baby sharks, or pups.
THREATS:
The great hammerhead shark is extremely vulnerable to overfishing, as there are no laws yet set forth to protect specifically the great hammerhead shark. They can get caught accidentally in fishing nets, and they are hunted for their dorsal fins. They are major contributors to the global shark fin trade.
How can you Help?
Learn all you can about the Hammerhead Sharks and spread the word to others.
Educate communities about use of sustainable fishing practices. Avoid use of nets and long lines.
Don’t buy shark fin products.
