Tropicarium | Hammerhead sharks:  armed hunters

Hammerhead sharks are named after the peculiar shape of their skull and, in particular, after a protuberance on the sides of their head, with their eyes positioned at its ends. In the past, scholars believed that this protuberance acted as a wing, giving sharks greater mobility and allowing them to turn swiftly without losing stability. However, recently, this assumption has been rejected, since it has been proved that the flexibility of these animals is granted by their vertebrae. The “hammer” on their snout, however, gives hammerhead sharks greater sensitivity compared with those with a tapered head, and perhaps this is precisely the reason why these animals have developed this particular head. In fact, precisely thanks to this feature, hammerhead sharks are able to scan a larger area of ​​the sea bottom more quickly to identify any prey. Do you want to see a hammerhead shark closely? Come to Tropicarium Park! You can find it in the Predators section. The park is open every day from 10 am to 9 pm (last admission). For further information: www.tropicarium.it exponaturaitalia@gmail.com