Great hammerhead shark
Sphyrna mokarran
Sighting evidence at Dog Island, Anguilla
Photo: Christa Rohrbach · CC BY-NC-SA
Great hammerheads are among the ocean's most distinctive apex predators — the wide cephalofoil head acts as a sensory array, allowing them to sweep for the electromagnetic fields of buried stingrays and other prey with exceptional precision. At Dog Island they are occasionally sighted during the December to March winter period, drawn in by strong currents that concentrate prey. The world's largest hammerhead species, reaching over 6 metres, they are Critically Endangered due to the high commercial value of their large fins. Even a single sighting represents a globally rare and meaningful encounter.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Great hammerhead shark is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.