Hammerhead Shark

Hello! I am a Hammerhead Shark. My name comes from my head, which is wide and flat, just like a hammer. It might look a little funny, but it is very special. My eyes are on the very ends of my hammer-shaped head. This is great because it lets me see all around me. I can see what is in front, what is beside me, and even what is a little bit behind me. This helps me swim safely through the big, blue ocean where I live. I love swimming and looking at everything in my beautiful water home.

My wide head is also a super-powered sniffer and a treasure detector. I use it to find my favorite snacks that hide on the ocean floor. I swim very close to the ocean floor, particularly when hunting for prey like stingrays, but I inhabit diverse environments beyond just soft, white sandy areas. Then, I wiggle my head back and forth, sweeping it over the sand. My special head can feel tiny movements from animals hiding underneath. This helps me find yummy stingrays and little fish that think they are safe. It is like playing a game of hide-and-seek, and my hammer head always helps me win. Finding food this way is one of my favorite things to do all day.

I am a very friendly shark, and I love to swim with my friends. When we all swim together, it is called a school. Sometimes our schools are very big, with lots of other hammerhead sharks swimming right beside me. We are important helpers in the ocean. By eating certain fish, we help maintain ocean balance by regulating prey populations for everyone who lives there. We are like ocean cleaners, and it is a very important job. We help make sure the ocean stays a wonderful home for all the other animals for a long, long time.