It’s World Oceans Day, and what better day is there to learn about hammerhead sharks? PhD student and shark scientist Jaida Elcock explained some scientific theories behind hammerheads’ unique look in these must-see videos from her Instagram account. Divers also captured an insane tour of the inside of a shark’s mouth.
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Why Do Hammerhead Sharks Look Like That?
Oceans cover 70% of the Earth’s surface, and you can find hammerheads living in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, and also in the Mediterranean Sea.
Scientist Jaida Elcock says scientists don’t know for sure why hammerheads look the way they do. There are 10 species of hammerhead sharks, but, as she puts it, “we don’t know which evolved first.” In a video on her Instagram account, she discusses several possibilities for these sharks’ unique head shapes, which differ depending on the species.
We may not know why their heads are the way they are, but Elcock concludes: “Hammerheads are dope.”
Hammerheads Eat Other Sharks
Elcock followed up by posting a shocking video on Instagram of a shark chasing after another shark, and she speculates it’s because the aggressor was looking for a tasty snack. “If you didn’t know, some sharks eat other sharks,” she said.
The video shows a shark chasing another shark and lurching for it like it is potential prey. Elcock says one of the sharks appears to be a great hammerhead. She relies on not only head shape but also dorsal fins to identify various hammerhead species.
Watch this video of a hammerhead trying to eat another shark:
A Tour Inside a Shark’s Mouth
In this jaw-dropping video, divers were recording footage of hammerheads and a tiger shark in the Bahamas, when a shark tried to eat one of their cameras, giving viewers a close-up view inside a shark’s mouth.
Filmmaker Zimy Da Kid dives with hammerhead sharks to raise awareness for ocean conservation and the shark protection organization Deep Sea Guardians. Zimy took his Insta360 camera underwater in what he calls the most “insane” ocean dive, during which he encountered “the biggest hammerhead shark” he had ever seen.
Watch this tour inside a shark’s mouth:
Do you agree that hammerheads are dope? Tell us in the comments.
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