The Most Common Hammerhead Shark

Like all hammerhead sharks, the scalloped hammerhead is one of the most distinctive looking sharks in the sea with its hammer shaped head and widely placed eyes. Unlike some species that prefer a solitary life, they can be found occasionally congregating in large schools, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. Although this schooling behavior can look intimidating, these majestic animals are not considered dangerous and are non-aggressive towards humans. In fact, witnessing this schooling behavior has become quite popular amongst divers who plan years in advance to travel out to remote dive destinations like the Galapagos and Cocos Islands which are highways for schooling scalloped hammerheads.

They are one of the more common species encountered by scuba divers as they have a wide global distribution, mostly in tropical and temperate coastal waters. They do prefer hunting grounds with larger prey along continental shelves and deeper waters so make sure you have your advanced diver certification, as much of the diving with scalloped hammerheads is considered “blue water” diving and is in areas with medium to strong currents. No matter where in the world you dive with them, it is sure to be the experience of a lifetime. Click here to discover the best dive sites with them around the globe.