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Diving with Hammerhead Sharks
Hammerhead Shark 
Diving with Hammerhead Sharks
Hammerheads are aggressive hunters. They do not actively seek out human prey, but are very defensive and will attack when provoked. Generally speaking humans have nothing to fear from hammerheads although on rare occasions larger sharks have attacked people. This shark's uncommonly small mouth is more suited to eat fishes than people!
Single sightings tend to occur more frequently near to the shore whereas oceanic islands and sea-mounts are really where you can experience a school in all their glory. Cocos Island off Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands, Madivaru Corner in the Maldives, Komodo National Park in Indonesia, and the coast of Malaysian Borneo which feature oceanic islands and deep water atolls such as Layang Layang, are among the best locations for sightings. Hammerheads are often seen in mass summer migrations seeking cooler water.
Hammerhead sharks can grow up to 6m with their average weight varying from 230 to 450 kg. Their average life expectancy is between 20 and 30 years. The positioning of the eyes, mounted on the sides of the shark's distinctive hammer head give the shark good 360-degree vision in the vertical plane, meaning they can see above and below them at all times. The hammer is dotted with small electrical sensors called "The Ampullae of Lorenzini" which, at close range, can detect the weak electrical fields generated by all animals. This helps greatly with feeding on fish such as sardines, herring and mackerels, occasionally also on invertebrates such as octopuses.
The great and the scalloped hammerhead are listed on the World Conservation Union's 2008 Red List as endangered, whereas the small eye hammerhead is listed as vulnerable. The status given to these sharks is as a result of over-fishing and demand for their fins, an expensive delicacy. Shark fins are prized as a delicacy. Fishermen who harvest the animals typically cut off the fins and toss the remainder of the fish, which is often still alive, back into the sea.
More detailed information about Hammerhead Sharks can be found here.
Can be seen at these locations
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Andros, Bahamas
Set in a tropical scattering of islands, surrounded by the third largest coral reef and some of the clearest water in the world. Andros has a wide range of exciting and beautiful marine life making this an exciting scuba diving location. The...
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Ari Atoll, Maldives
Manta Rays elegantly swim through the warm clear waters surrounding the many tranquil atolls and islands. With waters packed full of life and plenty of large pelagic species the Maldives is one of the most exciting places in the underwater world to...
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Berry Islands, Bahamas
A quiet group of islands with excellent less known reefs, the Berry Islands are great for those who want a quiet holiday but still have access to excellent reefs and large pelagic species. The Bahamas means “Shallow Seas” and consists of a...
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Bimini, Bahamas
Dives to wrecks, reefs and what is thought to be the remains of the Fountain of Youth and the Lost city of Atlantis, Bimini is an excellent, easily reached diving destination. The Bahamas means “Shallow Seas” and consists of a group of 700...
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Carriacou, Grenada
A gem among Caribbean islands; peaceful, quiet and unspoilt. Carriacou is volcanic in origin, with the island featuring rolling green hills, spectacular views of the surrounding sea and reefs and seemingly endless white sandy beaches. People are friendly and you can be...
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Cat Island, Bahamas
Home to the highest peak in the Bahamas, a huge 207 feet, Cat Island is a wonderful place to explore above and below the surface of the ocean. The Bahamas means “Shallow Seas” and consists of a group of 700 breathtaking islands...
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Cocos Island, Costa Rica
Hundreds of Hammerhead Sharks, amazing marine life and blue open ocean, Cocos Island is a once in a lifetime diving destination that any shark lovers must dive. Cocos Island is an island approx 550km off the coast of Costa Rica of tectonic...
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Eleuthera, Bahamas
The pineapple capital of the Bahamas, Eleuthera has excellent diving on reefs and wrecks with the most natural wrecks of any other island. The Bahamas means “Shallow Seas” and consists of a group of 700 breathtaking islands at the top of the...
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Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
A trip of a lifetime! The Galapagos is one of the last places in the world where you have the chance of diving with huge schools of Hammerhead Sharks. The Galapagos Islands consist of 13 main islands and 6 smaller isles approx...
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Grand Bahama, Bahamas
Close up dolphin and shark encounters can be had in the waters around Grand Bahama, including dives at the famous Tiger Beach where you can get up close and personal with the amazing Tiger Shark! The Bahamas means “Shallow Seas” and consists...
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Hurghada, Egypt
A gateway to some of the most exciting and diverse diving for all levels of divers, Hurghada is the perfect place to base yourself or to catch a Liveaboard Cruise to explore the best that the Red Sea offers. It is...
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La Paz, Mexico
Gateway to the magnificent Sea of Cortez, with access to a diverse selection of enjoyable and exciting dive sites, La Paz is a brilliant base to experience some of the best marine life encounters in the area has to offer. La Paz,...
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Long Island, Bahamas
The most scenic island in the Bahamas, Long Island has amazing diving including the deepest Blue Hole in all the Bahamas. The Bahamas means “Shallow Seas” and consists of a group of 700 breathtaking islands at the top of the Caribbean above Cuba...
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Malapascua, Philippines
A small exotic island famed for being the only place in the World with daily Thresher Shark sightings! This along with the Pygmy Seahorses and other cute critters makes the waters around Malapascua a diver’s paradise. Malapascua is a small island in...
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Marsa Alam, Egypt
One of Egypt’s fastest growing holiday destinations, until recently Marsa Alam was just a small fishing village, then since the introduction of the new international airport in 2001 its popularity is growing, and is soon expected to rival the larger resorts in...
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Nassau, Bahamas
Everything you could want from a holiday Nassau provides. Sharks, wrecks as well as many on land activities, beaches and a fun nightlife. The Bahamas means “Shallow Seas” and consists of a group of 700 breathtaking islands at the top of the...
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Palau, Micronesia
Well known for its marine bio-diversity, spectacular wall dives and vibrant colourful reefs, Palau is a top diving destination which attracts divers worldwide to experience one of the most unique holiday destinations on the Planet. Palau is a group of over 200...
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San Salvador, Bahamas
World class wall diving, frequent visits by hammerheads and striking topography, San Salvador is a must for divers visiting the Bahamas. The Bahamas means “Shallow Seas” and consists of a group of 700 breathtaking islands at the top of the Caribbean above Cuba...
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Sapodilla Cayes, Belize
The Belize barrier reef, a UNESCO world heritage site, is the second largest barrier reef in the world and boasts an incredible spectacle of marine life. The Sapodilla Caye is made up of 8 small beautiful islands located 35 miles from mainland...
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Sekotong Tengah, Lombok
An unspoilt area of beauty and rich bio diversity, the Sekotong Peninsula in South Lombok has excellent diving with bright soft corals, plenty of reef life and Hammerhead Sharks! With over 3,500 species living in the Indonesian underwater world, it has one of...
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Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
The most popular diving destination in the Red Sea, the waters around Sharm El Sheikh offer some of the most stunning and famous dive sites not just in the Red Sea but also the World. Sharm el Sheikh is located on...
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Sipadan, Malaysia
Turtles, Turtles and more Turtles everywhere! Pulau Sipadan is a dream dive location that is on every diver’s wish list! Sipadan is another island that was made famous by legendary Jacques Cousteau when he raved about the diving here and called it...
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Socorro Islands, Mexico
Manta Rays, Sharks and Whales!!! The Socorro Islands are a diver’s paradise offering once in a life time encounters with the oceans largest creatures, and is one of the only places in the world where you can swim with Humpback Whales! The Socorro...
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The Abacos, Bahamas
A group of islands and small tranquil cays, The Abacos Islands are a perfect place to base a dive holiday, with beautiful intact staghorn and elkhorn coral structures and plentiful marine life. The Bahamas means “Shallow Seas” and consists of a group of...
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The Exumas, Bahamas
Great Diving, easy reefs, blue holes and a peaceful scenic setting, the Exumas are a great location in the Bahamas to visit. The Bahamas means “Shallow Seas” and consists of a group of 700 breathtaking islands at the top of the Caribbean above...
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