Hammerhead Highway

Sharks have thrived in the oceans for over 350 million years, but around 20 million years ago a new species emerged in the fossil records in a form unlike any ever seen before- the Hammerhead shark. With one of the most bizarre looking heads found in nature, the Hammerhead shark has proven to be a remarkably successful predator. Around 30,000 fish species are alive today and only eight or nine have a hammerhead shaped head. So why did the Hammerhead evolve- was it a need for greater maneuverability, a need for a more advanced sensory system or was it a genetic mistake? Equipped with more electro sensors than any other shark, extreme maneuverability, serrated teeth and an ability to swim fast have armed the Hammerhead with an amazing arsenal of survival tools. But unfortunately indiscriminant fishing currently threatens the Hammerhead's very existence with a severe population decline in the past decade. In an ever-changing world, where skills are constantly put to test, how will these magnificent fish continue to survive and meet the natural and unnatural challenges of today? One theory proposes that certain female Hammerhead species travel in large schools as a way to increase their number of successful offspring. Scientific evidence suggests that these Hammerheads seek out distant destinations, but no one knows exactly why they go, where they go and how they navigate. What prompts them to travel these great lengths? Do they possess an internal compass? Do they possess a map? Dr. Pete Klimley is seeking to answer these questions and discover how Hammerheads live and survive across the turbulent seas. In a bold new scientific experiment, Dr. Klimley aims to
track Hammerheads in the open ocean. In the past, sharks have been tracked by being tagged with acoustic devices that signal a shark's presence near landmarks where listening devices have been placed. To track a Hammerhead in the open ocean and see its entire path, Pete's team is turning to an ambitious and risky tracking approach that involves a completely different type of tag. Whenever the shark comes to the surface, this new tag will communicate its location to a satellite - wherever it goes in the Pacific Ocean. Will Pete's experiment work and provide concrete data? Protecting these creatures means broadening international safeguards and limiting fishing over a much larger undersea realm, one that Pete hopes his real data can link together by a network of shark highways. This so called Hammerhead Highway may be the key to understanding and ensuring this curious creature's survival.