How much do you really know about the hammerhead shark? Most people assume a shark is a shark, but there are many different types of sharks all with their own distinct qualities. However, the nine species of hammerhead sharks are easily identified by the unique shape of their head which resembles a hammer and is the origin of their name. Hammerheads are cold-blooded mammals that can grow up to 25 feet in length and weight as much as 1000 lbs. One of the most interesting features besides the shape of their heads is the fact that they have a 360 degree view, meaning they can see above and below them at the same time. Hammerheads are definitely an interesting mammal.
Hammerheads are known to live in warm tropical waters around the world.
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The hammerheads have an unusual behavior of forming schools that can have as many as 500 sharks. They stay together in the daytime and separate at night. This practice provides protection against larger predators. Hammerheads do not have mates for life. The female gestational period is 12 to 18 months and they can produce 10 to 17 offspring at a time! Their coloring provides a camouflage to the ocean floor allowing them to hide from their enemies, killer whales and sometimes scuba divers.
Hammerheads mostly stay along continental shelves and coastlines, but on occasion they are found in the deep ocean cruising near the surface. Sharks have adapted to living in a wide range of aquatic habitats at various temperatures. While some species inhabit shallow, coastal regions, others live in deep waters, on the ocean floor and in the open ocean. Hammerhead Sharks are exotic and cannot be kept as a house pet, but they can be found in many aquariums.
While they are considered dangerous to humans, they are not particularly aggressive. Most species of hammerhead are very small and harmless. Most hammerheads are not considered endangered. However, there are about four species that are considered either vulnerable or in danger of extinction due to overfishing or illegal trade. Hammerheads are a unique species of shark with a distinct physical appearance which makes them a great research project