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Great Hammerhead Shark

Sphyrna mokarran

 

Great Hammerheado Rare in VA waters, only 4 recorded on VIMS Longline, Largest of all hammerhead sharks, Seasonal poleward migrations

Use these resources to learn how to identify a great hammerhead shark, find out what other shark species live in Virginia waters, and explore real shark data over the the years.

great hammerhead SHARK ID GUIDEOTHER VA SHARKSSHARK DATA APP

Great hammerheads are uncommon in the Southeast United States, but they migrate into north seasonally in summer.  In Virginia, our survey caught a total of 4 great hammerheads, one over 10 feet (3.2 meters) in 2016.

Maximum size

Possibly up to 20 ft (6.1 m) but most up to 12 ft (3.7 m).

Range

Tropical waters from North Carolina, USA to Southern Brazil; however, migratory as far north as New York, USA during summer.

Diet

Feeds on a variety of fishes, particularly stingrays, groupers, and sea catfishes.

Depth Range

Inhabits surface depths, particularly continental and insular coral reefs, down to 80 m depth.

Ecology

Inhabits close inshore and offshore waters.

Fishing Interest

Is among the many species of highly migratory sharks, once heavily fished, but is now listed as critically endangered globally by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).