"With fossil records dating back 400 million years, sharks have outlived the dinosaurs and many other forms of life currently on earth. There are more than 1,000 species of sharks and rays, with new species discovered every year.
These majestic top predators that are so essential to the natural order of marine ecosystems now face their most severe threat from overfishing. Many species are threatened with extinction, with some families of rays such as sawfishes in peril. While sharks and rays have been an irreplaceable resource for coastal communities in the developing world for centuries, this unique balance is in danger of being lost forever.
With our oceans severely degraded, restoring sharks is key to improving the resilience of these water bodies to climate change. While sharks' diverse range of species adds complexity to our conservation efforts, the dwindling numbers of these amazing creatures from overfishing and demand for their fins and meat increases the urgency of the task. Through our multi-pronged strategies, and guided by the Global Priorities for Conserving Sharks and Rays - A 2015-2025 Strategy, we strive to restore the balance between humans and sharks."
Hammerheads belong to the Sphyridae family, and they are categorized by having a flattened hammer or shovel shaped head. Hammerhead shark fossils date back to about 23 to 5.3 million years ago, though they are considered one of the most recently evolved groups of sharks. Some scientists even believe these sharks can be traced back to even 56 to 33.9 million years ago.
Hammerhead sharks are found in tropical and temperate marine waters near coastlines, and they migrate seasonally towards the equator in the colder months and towards the poles in the hotter months. They eat many different kinds of fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans, with even larger hammerheads preying on bigger fish, squid, stingrays, and other smaller sharks.
fun facts about these lil guys:
they have 360 degree vision!!!
hammerheads appear unaffected by venomous stingray barbs
there have only be 17 hammerhead shark attacks ever recorded, with 0 fatalities!
they can tan - their light gray bodies can become black
hammerheads can give birth as virgins???
they can grow from 3-20 ft, on average being about 11.5 ft long and weighing about 500 pounds
