Sand Tigers
Mostly seen in shallow bays around the coral reefs and very rarly to depths of around 200m on Atlantic, Pasific and Indian Ocean, Sand Tiger's head is pointy, as opposed to round, while the snout is flattened with a conical shape. Its body is stout and bulky and its mouth extends beyond the eyes. The eyes of the sand tiger shark are small, lacking eyelids. They are grey with reddish-brown spots on their backs. A sand tiger usualy swims with its mouth open displaying three rows of protruding, smooth-edged sharp pointed teeth. Ir is the only shark known to gulp air and store it in the stomach, allowing the shark to maintain near nautral bouyancy.
Hammerheads
Hammerhead Sharks are found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters, where they are seen near shorelines and reefs as well as in open ocean far offshore. They have a lifespan in the wild of about 20-30 years and can grow up to 20 feet (6 meters) in length. That’s big! These monsters could weigh in at as much as 1,000 pounds (450 kg).
The bizarre shape of the hammerhead’s head gives it two unique advantages over other sharks. The position of their eyes means they have 360-degree vision, and electro-sensors on the underside of the head enable the hammerhead to sweep the seabed ‘metal-detector’ style to find prey hiding under the sand.
Hammerheads are officially classified (Red List) as endangered. In the last 30 years, the population has declined by up to 90%, mainly due to over-fishing.
