The Galapagos National Park Directorate reported that a nursery site was discovered for smooth hammerheads ( Sphyrna zygaena ) in a bay near Isabela Island. The discovery, made by Greenpeace during a recent exploration in the Galapagos Marine Reserve has generated significant interest in the scientific community because of the rarity of seeing smooth hammerheads at their young life stage.
The smooth hammerheads are found in tropical and subtropical water worldwide. They have been classified as vulnerable by the IUCN red list since 2018. The absence of a typical heart-shaped notch, as seen on the common hammerhead is what makes them unique. The environmental authority, with the help of scientists and strategic partners, will collect more information on this new shark nursery.
A satellite tag was successfully placed on a female sub-adult smooth hammerhead during this discovery. The tracking of her movements in the coming months will give important insight into the effectiveness and efficiency of the Galapagos Marine Protection Areas where this species is protected.
Dr. Jorge Carrion is our Director of Conservation and he emphasizes that these sharks are apex predators in the marine ecosystem. This new nursery represents an important advance for the conservation and survival of this species on our archipelago.
We fund research at Galapagos Conservation to improve our knowledge of the behavior and migration patterns of sharks, as well as habitats on Galapagos. This information is crucial for the development of conservation strategies, and it fosters collaboration with the Galapagos National Park Directorate to protect these marine predators.
