The Hammerhead Plush

“In order to conserve and manage sharks, researchers use tags to track them in their natural habitat and study their movement patterns and behavior. This tagging allows researchers to better understand the species’ life history, social behavior, reproduction and much more, including how often the animals may interact with fisheries. These fields are all very important for advancing the conservation and management of sharks. For example, Saving the Blue recently tagged a great hammerhead in Andros. Within the Bahamas, this shark was protected as part of the national Shark Sanctuary. When the shark left the Bahamas and swam to the United States, however, it was subject to fishing pressure as regulations permit limited harvest in federal waters. By revealing where sharks move and the routes they travel, scientists can understand how best to influence management and ultimately, protect them. This protection is only possible with the use of tags, which reveal the secrets of these fascinating creatures!” - Saving the Blue

To learn more about why sharks are tracked, visit our partner directly at savingtheblue.org.

We use a combination of satellite and acoustic electronic devices. Satellite tags (SPOT or PSAT) are typically used to monitor migration patterns both horizontally and vertically as they can provide locations of the sharks during tracks and depth / temperature information at 5-minute intervals throughout their deployment. Acoustic tracking tags are usually deployed to examine habitat use at finer scales, determining the role of various biological factors (e.g. biotic / abiotic) on how sharks use particular areas.” - Saving the Blue

To learn more about how sharks are tracked, visit our partner directly at savingtheblue.org.

“Our team is very careful with how we handle and place tags on sharks. Most satellite devices are placed next to or through the dorsal fin. There are no nerve endings in the fins and although we are unable to ask a shark if it feels us making a hole to place a tag, they do not react. The tags are temporary with materials that break down over time, so eventually there are no tag remnants on the shark. Acoustic tags are typically implanted in the body cavity and can last up to 10-years, many recent studies that our scientific team have been involved with have tracked some individuals up to 6-years with tags implanted showing no adverse effects.” - Saving the Blue

To learn more, visit our partner directly at savingtheblue.org.

Great, scalloped, and smooth hammerheads are listed as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List. Their greatest threat is bycatch by global fisheries—in other words, they are accidentally caught during commercial fishing meant for other species. Since these apex predators serve a vital role in keeping ocean ecosystems stable and healthy, their conservation and restoration is incredibly important!

Unlike their more sleek-headed cousins, hammerheads’ mallet-shaped noggins (while a little cumbersome) serve a very specific purpose. In true shark fashion, it has everything to do with hunting prey. Their unique head shape in part gives these sharks binocular vision; with eyes on either end, their field of vision is quite broad and allows them to view a great deal of their surroundings at once. 

Additionally, that big head has a lot of extra space inside to store specialized sensory organs that detect electrical fields produced by other marine life. Since hammerheads’ favorite meal—stingrays—tend to hide under the sand, this is especially helpful. Once they find a ray, they use their wide heads to pin them to the ocean floor.

Wipe with damp sponge or cloth, using warm water and mild soap. Once dry, brush to restore the plush and proceed with snuggling.