Hammerhead Sharks Social Behavior

Behavior

Some sharks migrate over great distances to feed and breed. This can take them over entire ocean basins. While some shark species are solitary, others display social behavior at various levels. Hammerhead sharks, for instance, school during mating season around seamounts and islands. Some shark species, like the great white shark, attack and surprise their prey, usually seals and sea lions, from below. Species that dwell on the ocean floor have developed the ability to bottom-feed. Others attack schooling fish in a feeding frenzy, while large sharks like the whale and basking sharks filter feed by swimming through the ocean with their mouths open wide, filtering large quantities of plankton and krill .like any wild animal, a sharks

According to Kat Walden, “Sharks have highly developed senses that allow them to detect even the most minuscule hints that prey might be near, a shark's sense of smell is so acute that he can detect a single drop of blood in an Olympic size swimming pool. He can tell which nostril picks up the odor first, allowing him to turn in the direction of his potential prey. When a shark gets a hold of its prey, he stalks it before going in for the kill. Bottom dwelling sharks are known to have this special ability to blend in with the ocean floor. Active hunters sometimes circle a distance away from their prey to size up the situation before moving in for the kill”. Most sharks hunt in the early morning or hunt at night, depending on the kind of shark and its location. When less light penetrates the water, that allows the sharks too blend in with the shadows. Sharks have a variety of ways of catching prey. For example, a great white will strike quickly, attempting to debilitate his prey with a single bite. He might even breach the water as he grabs his prey. The hammerhead has the smallest mouth of any shark species, and this shark is primarily a bottom feeder. He uses his wide head to pin stingrays to the ocean floor before feeding on them (Walden, K,