Great Hammerhead

The Great hammerhead shark is classified as "critically endangered" as of 2019, under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list, due to accidental bycatch, and both commercially, and recreationally for illegal shark fin markets. The great hammerhead shark is the largest of 9 hammerhead species, they have been found as big as 20ft in length and up to 1,000lbs, but are typically about 13ft and 500lbs. They are known for their diverse head shape called cephalofoils. Cephalofoils act as a hydrodynamic bow, improve their sence of smell, enhance depth perception, and help them locate prey. Great hammerheads are solitude apex predator's. They are typically found at 80 meters but they have been observed as deep as 300 meters. They reside in tropical waters, above the continental shelf, around coral reefs, and lagoons. The great hammerhead shark is critical for maintaining coastal marine ecosystems. They prey on species in the lower trophic levels, and those that are diseased or injured. They support healthy levels of species density and diversity, while ensuring individuals with unfit genes are not able to reproduce. If the Great hammerhead shark becomes extinct, it will have an extremely negative impact on coastal ecosystems world wide.