May 18, 2020
 in 
Nature

14ft Hammerhead Shark Eats a Blacktip Shark

 BY 
Anthony Balogne
N

o one ever said that all Sharks get along. In this spectacular drone footage, a massive 14-foot Great Hammerhead is caught in a feeding frenzy among thousands of Blacktip Sharks. After finding unsuspecting prey, the Hammerheads eats a Blacktip shark more than 6ft long.

Each year, off the coast of Florida, Backtip sharks line the beaches during normal migration patterns. Following the Blacktips are massive Great Hammerhead sharks looking for a substantial meal.

The drone footage makes it hard to understand the magnitude of these sharks. But it is estimated each blacktip ranges from 60-80 Lbs and 6ft in length. Yet, beside this almost 14ft Hammerhead shark, the blacktip looks closer to a mere minnow.

Why are They Called Blacktip Sharks?

The Latin name for the sharks is epithet limbatus- meaning “bordered”, referring to the black edges of this shark’s fins. Other common names used for the blacktip shark include blackfin shark, blacktip whaler, common or small blacktip shark, grey shark, and spotfin ground shark.

Normally wary of humans, blacktip sharks can become aggressive in the presence of food and have been responsible for a number of attacks on people.

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Why are They Called a HammerHead Shark?

The Hammerhead shark are a group of sharks that form the family Sphyrnidae, so named for the unusual and distinctive structure of their heads, which are flattened and laterally extended into a “hammer” shape called a cephalofoil.

The Great Hammerhead shark is the largest of the nine identified species of this shark. It can grow up to 20 feet in length and weigh up to 1,000 pounds, although smaller sizes are also common.

Hammerheads are aggressive feeders, hunting smaller fish, crustaceans, octopuses, squid and turtles. They do not actively seek out humans, but are very defensive and will attack if provoked.

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