What is a hammerhead shark?
Three species of hammerhead shark are found in north-western Australia but only one, the great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran), is considered dangerous. The scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) and smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena) are quite timid and the similar-looking winghead shark (Eusphyra blochii) is considered harmless. Despite the fear they have traditionally engendered, public opinion is now slowly swinging around in the sharks’ favour. These days, most divers who see a hammerhead shark regard it as a rare and exciting experience. People are coming to realise that shark attacks are relatively rare (more people in Australia die from bee stings) and usually occur only when sharks mistake people for food species such as seals. What do they look like? The unusual shape of the head means that hammerheads can scan a wide area with their eyes, which are positioned at the end of each wing. The great hammerhead grows to about six metres long, while the scalloped and smooth hammerhead
