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Petition to Protect Great Hammerhead Sharks

Petition to Protect Great Hammerhead Sharks

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Petition to Protect Great Hammerhead Sharks Under Endangered Species Act submitted to the US Secretary of Commerce.

The great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) is the largest species of hammerhead shark
The great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) is the largest species of hammerhead shark

The great hammerhead shark is categorized as “critically endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. That’s the designation just before “extinct in the wild.” The species is highly threatened with extinction.

To that end, the Center for Biological Diversity has submitted a petition urging the National Marine Fisheries Service to protect the great hammerhead shark under the Endangered Species Act.

“Great hammerheads are magnificent, but these huge, iconic animals desperately need federal help,” said Emily Jeffers, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. “They’re being slaughtered for their fins and killed in great numbers by gillnets and other fishing gear. With Endangered Species Act protections, we can ensure the next generation will see these amazing creatures in the wild. Great hammerheads won’t be around much longer unless we act now.”

The great hammerhead inhabits tropical waters around the world, between the latitudes of 40°N and 37°S. 

Image
Hammerhead distribution
Sources
Center for Biological Diversity submitted
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