Hammerhead Shark

Sharks are amongst the most feared and one definitely wouldn’t want to meet a shark unawares, while diving in the deep blue seas! Although the mere mention of sharks may break you into a sweat, one can’t deny the mysterious aura that surrounds these sea creatures, which can instigate you to generate an interest to know more about them. Such is the magnetism sharks exude and with the various kinds of species seen today, experts spend their entire lives trying to know about them and their behavior habits.

The Hammerhead shark is one such species that has always held my interest since the time I probably saw it on television and read reports about it. It may have been the curiously shaped head or and the overall appearance that probably sees the Hammerhead shark stand apart from the rest. So are you equally fascinated with the Hammerhead sharks and wish to dive deeply into facts and information about them? Read on to know more about Hammerhead sharks.

Facts about the Hammerhead Sharks:

Description of the Hammerhead Sharks:
Hammerhead sharks belong to the Sphyrnidae family. Their oddly shaped heads are probably what gave them the name. The head has a projection on each side. One look at it and you would know it strongly resembles a flattened hammer. The eyes and the nostrils of the Hammerhead shark are placed on the tips of this flattened portion. It is their wide set eyes that give them a better range of vision as compared to all the other sharks. This is one advantage Hammerhead sharks have over others; they can spread their sensory organs over their flattened head, which in turn, inspects the ocean. This can help it to search for food through the water. Due to the larger nasal tracts, Hammerhead sharks have a bigger opportunity in locating a particle in the water as compared to the other species. This is solely because of a wider spacing, which helps the shark to locate food or even a prospective mate! A Hammerhead shark is also able to detect any kind of a sensory field that is created by its prey!

So have you ever thought about the function associated with this hammer shaped head? Well, that is something I have always wondered about and although it was believed that the shape helps it to procure more food, it has also been revealed that the shape of the vertebrae helps it to turn the entire body in a correct manner.

Their body is grayish brown to an olive green in color with shades of off white on their undersides. The length of the Hammerhead shark can go up to 20 feet and the weight of the body can go up to 1,000 pounds.

These sharks have a rather small mouth as compared to the rest of the body. This is probably more useful when they hunt on the bottom areas of the seabed. Sharks are known for their aggressive attitude. The Hammerhead sharks are nothing short of aggressive in nature and this can be felt when one has a look at its triangularly shaped teeth and pointed dorsal fins that adds to the entire aggressive look of the Hammerhead shark!

Distribution and Diet habits of the Hammerhead Sharks:
Hammerhead sharks are found in the temperate and the tropical waters all over the world and along continental shelves. These are also seen offshore and near shorelines as well. Many such can be spotted in the Gulf of Mexico and the western coast of Florida. Hammerhead sharks are known to feed on rays, skates, fish, cephalopods, crustaceans etc.

Breeding of the Hammerhead Sharks:
The mating period of the Hammerhead shark can turn out to be really aggressive and violent which is not really surprising considering the aggressive nature almost all sharks seem to display. A phenomenal discovery in May, 2007 showed that Hammerhead sharks can reproduce asexually as well. Parents of the young Hammerheads do not live with them and young pups generally have to manage for themselves in the deep waters.

Are Hammerhead Sharks really as dangerous as they sound?
Well, although sharks have always been associated with being aggressive and dangerous to encounter in the sea, no shark would bite a human for no reason and most Hammerheads are small in size. Such are considered harmless to humans. Well, as long as you don’t get into their bad books by provoking them! When caught by fishermen, they are generally released back into the wild.

Conservation of the Hammerhead Sharks:
Of the nine species of the Hammerhead sharks, the scalloped hammerheads are now globally endangered. The Great Hammerhead is listed as an endangered species. If only people would realize their responsibilities towards other living beings and stop killing Hammerheads sharks for their fins (which is considered to be a delicacy), such a situation would never arrive.

Live and let live should be the motto for everybody. Maybe then we shall be able to give back to nature what we have so ruthless snatched away, all these years.