Facts about Hammerhead Sharks

1. 07

   Hammerhead sharks exhibit countershading with dark gray or brown dorsal surfaces and white undersides, making them less visible to prey below and predators above in the water column.

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2. 06

   A scalloped hammerhead shark's distinctive head shape widens by up to 50% of its body length, providing enhanced spacing between its electroreceptive organs for improved prey detection accuracy.

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3. 05

   Female scalloped hammerhead sharks give birth to 15-30 live pups per litter after a gestation period of approximately 11 months.

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4. 04

   The great hammerhead shark's hammer-shaped head contains approximately 3,000 ampullae of Lorenzini, specialized organs that detect electrical fields as weak as five billionths of a volt.

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5. 03

   Schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks can contain over 500 individuals during daytime hours, aggregating in warm tropical waters near the equator.

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6. 02

   Hammerhead sharks possess binocular vision in front of their heads and monocular vision on the sides, allowing 360-degree visual coverage superior to most fish species.

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7. 01

   Spanning up to 20 feet in length, the great hammerhead shark uses its flattened head to detect electric signals from prey buried in ocean sand.

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