This includes not exhaling bubbles when they’re nearby. In fact, there’s many rules around swimming with hammerhead sharks just to help them feel comfortable and not flee. It’s hard to believe that one of the top predators of the ocean could be scared off by just a few bubbles, but it’s true! Despite their size and prowess, hammerhead sharks are actually quite bashful. This rarer species was only first described in 2013, so more information about their vulnerability will be available in years to come. The only hammerhead shark that isn’t threatened in any way is the Carolina hammerhead shark ( Sphyrna gilberti), and only because it has yet to be assessed to see how its population is.

This genus includes nine different species of hammerhead shark, five of which are critically endangered. The name “hammerhead shark” actually refers to an entire family of sharks known as “Sphyrnidae”, which includes a genus known “Sphyrna”. Almost all species of hammerhead shark are critically endangered However, there has been at least one specimen of the great hammerhead shark – the largest of the multiple species – caught with the stingray’s barb still embedded in its skin.

Not only can they lead to extreme pain as well as other uncomfortable symptoms like fever or swelling, they can also be fatal. Stingray stings are a painful occurrence in the human world. However, in order to make a meal out of stingrays, the hammerhead shark has had to evolve a tolerance to stingray stings. In fact, they’re one of the most likely animals to be caught on the receiving end of this shark’s powerful hammering when hunting. The number one prey of choice for the hammerhead shark is the stingray. Hammerhead sharks are unaffected by stingray stings They’ll use the blunt force of their heads to tire down prey, making them easier to eat.ģ. There have been times that the hammerhead shark has been caught using their head to literally hammer down prey. They use their head as a weapon when hunting! It can help them navigate and find food, and it can also help them swim by boosting the hydrodynamic shape of their body. The hammerhead shark’s cephalofoil serves many purposes. The hammerhead part of the shark’s head is called a cephalofoil They have one of the best ranges of vision out of all sharks, although their head shape has resulted in a blind spot directly in front of their noses. They are often found on the ocean floor stalking prey, and often hunt for fish, squid, stringrays and seagrass.

These ocean predators are mostly known as carnivores, but some species may be omnivorous. Baby hammerhead sharks are known as pups. Hammerhead sharks are unlike many other fish in that they give birth to live young. Almost all of them are threatened in some form, many being critically endangered due to human activity. There are at least nine species of hammerhead shark in the world, although some studies may suggest more. No natural predators but may be attacked by orcas, dolphins, or other sharks on occasion Small fish, stingrays, octopus, and seagrass in some species These deep-sea predators are one of the most recognizable species of shark due to their strange shaped head known as a cephalofoil.Ĭentral America, Southern America, Africa, Asia, and Australia Most are in the genus Sphyrna, but one hammerhead shark has its own genus called Eusphyra. The hammerhead shark is a group of species in the family Sphyrnidae.

Hammer shark