CR

Sphyrna mokarran

DecliningDDEUDDEU

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Great Hammerhead Shark faces severe population declines primarily due to intensive fishing pressure, both as targeted catch and bycatch in commercial fisheries. Their large dorsal fins are particularly valuable in the shark fin trade, making them a preferred target species. The species' slow reproductive rate, with females not reaching maturity until 15-20 years and producing relatively few offspring, makes populations extremely vulnerable to overexploitation and unable to recover quickly from fishing pressure.

Threat summary

Habitat

Great Hammerhead Sharks inhabit tropical and warm temperate coastal waters worldwide, typically found in continental and insular shelves from the surface to depths of 80 meters. They frequent coral reefs, lagoons, and nearshore areas, often moving into shallow waters including mangrove areas and estuaries, particularly during pupping season.

Marine oceanic· majorMarine coastal/supratidal· major

Conservation measures underway

Legislation

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Sphyrna mokarran classified as Critically Endangered?
Sphyrna mokarran is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Great Hammerhead Shark faces severe population declines primarily due to intensive fishing pressure, both as targeted catch and bycatch in commercial fisheries. Their large dorsal fins are particularly valuable in the shark fin trade, making them a preferred target species. The species' slow reproductive rate, with females not reaching maturity until 15-20 years and producing relatively few offspring, makes populations extremely vulnerable to overexploitation and unable to recover quickly from fishing pressure.
Where does Sphyrna mokarran live?
Sphyrna mokarran occurs in Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, and British Indian Ocean Territory (plus 52 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Sphyrna mokarran?
The main threats to Sphyrna mokarran are 5.4, ai-1, ai-2, and ai-3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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