Department of Conservation marine scientist Clinton Duffy said the sharks in Cooper's drone footage were juvenile smooth hammerheads. This hammerhead species, with the scientific name Sphyrna zygaena, reached a maximum size of almost 4m. Eight hammerhead species were recognised worldwide but only four, including the smooth hammerhead, surpassed 1.5m in length. Photo / Kyle CooperAccording to Oceana, smooth hammerheads give birth to live young and sometimes eat sea snakes and other sharks. The smooth hammerhead was the only species with growing numbers but many other shark species faced a dire situation.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 17, 2021 01:41 UTC