The scalloped hammerhead shark is on the edge of extinction. In the past 30 years, their population has declined by 95% in the Atlantic Ocean. Because of this decimation, last year they were listed as critically endangered. If we lose the scalloped hammerhead from our oceans, not only will there be devastating effects on the marine ecosystem, we will have lost a unique piece of biodiversity that cannot be replaced.
Cows kill 5 times more people than sharks.
Business insider
Named because of its giant hammer-shaped head, the scalloped hammerhead, like all sharks, is misunderstood and has a reputation of being a cold-blooded killer. In truth, cows are more likely to kill you than a shark and hammerheads are seen as being more curious than aggressive.
The scalloped hammerhead is still an apex predator and its bizarre shaped head is what makes it a very successful hunter. Their wide-set eyes and nostrils help them to effectively locate their prey. They will even use their heads to pin stingrays to the seafloor to prevent them from escaping. This may sound brutal, but it is vital to ensuring a healthy and thriving marine ecosystem.
Scalloped hammerhead sharks are special because of their unique sociability. They will travel in large schools, but unfortunately this makes them extremely vulnerable to being overfished.
Here at WAWA Conservation, we are supporting Galapagos Conservation Trust’s (GCT) Endangered sharks of Galapagos program that is dedicated to protecting sharks throughout their lifetime. The Galapagos Marine Reserve is one of the only places left on earth where the scalloped hammerhead shark can be found in large numbers and rightfully protected. GCT’s endangered shark program aims to track and monitor migratory routes of sharks and develop a safe swim way between the Galapagos Marine Reserve and Costa Rica’s Cocos Island, a proven migratory route of many shark species.
With your support:
| £35 | could help us to analyse four hours of remote camera shark footage |
| £60 | could pay for shark education materials for 15 children in Galapagos |
| £150 | could pay for a remote underwater camera for shark surveys |
| £490 | could pay for an acoustic tag for an open water shark found in the Cocos-Galapagos swim way |
Will you help WAWA ensure this misunderstood creature has a future?
