At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Fish
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The great hammerhead is the largest of the hammerhead sharks, with a broad, straight-edged head. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
It is a powerful predator that favours rays as prey.
Range & habitat
Warm coastal and offshore waters worldwide.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Overfishing, including for fins
- Bycatch
- A low reproductive rate
Why it matters
As a large apex predator that is highly valued for its fins and slow to reproduce, the great hammerhead is a priority for shark conservation.
Sources
Sources for Great Hammerhead
- IUCN Red List — look up Great Hammerhead (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the great hammerhead eat?
It is a strong predator that particularly favours stingrays, pinning them with its broad head, along with other fish and invertebrates.
Why is the great hammerhead Critically Endangered?
Published assessments cite overfishing (including for fins), bycatch, and a low reproductive rate that makes recovery slow. See the IUCN Red List.
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