#bonnetheadshark

The what now? A shark that doesn’t want to shark like the rest of the sharks? Adverse to killing and blood? But still wants to shark all over the place?

Species Profile No. 23: The Bonnethead Shark (Sphyrna tiburo) The bonnethead is a very small species of shark, and is often mistaken as a “baby hammerhead.” They are actually just a very small species of hammerhead! They usually grow to about 2-3 feet long, with 5 feet being the absolute maximum. They’re unique because they are actually omnivores, as they eat lots of seagrass and are able to digest it. They are also unique because the shape of their head is different between males and females, which is a trait that no other sharks are known to have! Bonnetheads are listed as Least Concern. They have a gestation period of only 4.5-5 months, which is one of the shortest gestation periods of any shark species. They give birth to 4-12 pups per litter. They are fished for fairly extensively, but it seems that their quick reproduction means that these fisheries are sustainable. Bonnetheads have a stable population! These sharks are a living example of a shark species that can be fished for sustainably, and shows that sustainable shark fishing is possible as long as fishing rates are limited to match rates of reproduction. Making sure that the bonnethead shark does not get fished too heavily is still important, and the IUCN notes that this species needs more management, as well as habitat protection. We hope that this little shark will continue to thrive! ••••••••••••••••••••••• #hammerheadprofiles #bonnetheadshark #shark #sharks #hammerhead #hammerheadshark #bonnethead #sharkeducation #conservation https://www.instagram.com/p/BwXiSBuBwNT/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=20sooaxq16l1

Basket Starfish Dylan cruising around wide open🙉 🦈 🦈 🦈 #beachsafety #nsbinlet #salinitygear #sharkcon #sharkparknsb #sharkpark #newsmyrnabeach #shark #livesharks #homeschool #sharks #floridatours #daytonabeach #aquariums #starfish #nsbmiddleschool #tigershark #bullshark #nurseshark #hammerheadshark #bonnetheadshark #blacktipshark #sharklovers #sharkconservation #ocearch #trackingsharks #portorangeelementay (at Shark Park NSB)

We get it. We love sharks, too! #VisitorPicture by @carla_madeleine20 #regram #oceananimals #bonnetheadshark #sharks #scienceofsharks #hugashark #newenglandaquarium (at New England Aquarium)

Species Profile No. 26: The Scalloped Bonnethead (Sphyrna corona) The scalloped bonnethead reaches lengths of only three feet, and may be the smallest species of the family! They live in inshore habitats, especially those that have soft bottoms, like sand, mud, and gravel. They can also be found in mangrove forests and estuaries. They eat a variety of foods like crustaceans, cephalopods, molluscs, echinoderms (the family of starfish, sea cucumbers, etc), and bony fishes. The scalloped bonnethead is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN. Not much is known about these little sharks, but they are known to only two pups per litter. This species goes unreported within fisheries, but as a small inshore species it is very likely being fished for, and with such small litter sizes it is very vulnerable to overfishing. Nothing is known about its population, so more research is desperately needed to gain a better understanding of this species. They could be rapidly declining, but without a baseline population assessment, researches would have no way of knowing. To help poorly understood species like the scalloped bonnethead, please support the IUCN Shark Specialist Group and Shark Advocates International. ••••••••••••••••••••••••• #hammerheadprofiles #shark #sharks #hammerhead #hammerheadshark #scallopedbonnethead #bonnethead #bonnetheadshark #diversesharks #sharkeducation #savesharks #savethesharks #helpsavesharks #bycatch #overfishing #stopoverfishing #replacefearwithfacts https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwne3eJhNPB/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1iik6kwsx5ljp

Aquariums, so cool, kinda sad, but pretty cool. #aquariums #Aquarium #aquariumofthepacific #seaturtle #bonnetheadshark #sharks #fish #axolotl #stingray #findingnemo #sealife #Zorro #babyzorro #zaz (at Aquarium of the Pacific) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSxNB7_BJKU/?utm_medium=tumblr