The Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus), falls into a family of sharks known as mackerel sharks, which also include the longfin mako, great white and basking sharks. They can reach lengths of around 12ft (3.8 m) and weigh at least 1200 pounds (545 kg).
This species of shark is highly migratory and is found worldwide in temperate and tropical oceans. To maintain their body temperature in those colder waters makos have a specialised blood vessel structure known as a countercurrent exchanger. This helps to constantly keep their body temperature higher than the surrounding water temperature, and in turn allow them to continue hunting in.
aren't they just stunning creatures?
Their streamlined body is perfect for hunting and they can reach incredible speeds (around 45 miles/hr or 74km/hr). They can be pretty exciting to watch when hunting too as they are known to jump out of the water at high speeds.
They feed primarily on large bony fish, such as tuna and mackerel, but are also known to eat squid, small marine mammals, turtles, and even other sharks.
those sharp, slender teeth are perfect for keeping hold of dinner
Unfortunately, the shortfin mako is currently listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List and this is because everywhere that they are found they are commercially targeted or captured accidentally. The shark fin trade is also having a huge impact on their numbers.
Without increased conservation and management efforts, this species’ population will continue to decline, perhaps to a dangerous degree.
Information in this post was obtained from Ocean.org
The photos in this post were all taken in South Australia during a shark diving trip.
All images in this post were taken by and remain the Copyright of Ryan Sault unless stated otherwise.
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website: https://saultphotography.com/
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