The journey of the hammerhead shark

For the first time some researchers of Miami University were able to track a specimen of a hammerhead shark using satellite tag technology. The shark was followed for 62 days in its migration from Florida to the coast of New Jersey, a 1200-km-long journey that passed through the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Until now, the migration routes of hammerhead sharks were practically unknown. According to the American researchers, the new study has allowed the discovery of very precious information, prerequisite for the adoption of appropriate measures to protect the species: their movements and the identification of the areas that are most important for feeding, mating and the birth of their young. In fact, the study has provided evidence that the big hammerhead sharks can migrate into international waters, where they become vulnerable to illegal fishing. Hence, the knowledge of the migratory routes of these animals is important for the conservation and management of this species, considered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a species threatened with extinction.