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(Photo found here)
The Port Jackson shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) is a nocturnal, oviparous (see this post) type of bullhead shark of the family Heterodontidae, found in the coastal region of southern Australia, including the waters off Port Jackson. It has a large head with prominent forehead ridges and dark brown harness-like markings on a lighter grey-brown body. Port Jackson sharks can grow up to 5.5 ft. The Port Jackson shark is a migratory species, traveling south in the summer and returning north to breed in the winter months. They feed on hard-shelled mollusks, crustaceans, sea urchins, and fish. Port Jackson Sharks are quite distinctive blunt headed-sharks that lay eggs. Port Jackson Sharks have harness-like markings which cross the eyes, run along the back to the first dorsal fin, then cross the side of the body. This pattern makes it very easy to identify this species.
(Source)
May 21st
7:57 PM
7:57 PM
(Source)
On television, we’re use to seeing land predators such as lions take down their prey in parts of the world like Africa. However, NOAA officials had a rare opportunity to photograph several tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) attack a sick humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calf back in November 2006 off the Kailua-Kona area of Big Island, Hawaii. The scenes are dramatic, because they offer an extraordinary glimpse into the life and death struggle occurring underneath the ocean waves. From NOAA:
They also noted that little could have been done to save the animal. “Shark attacks are part of the natural world in which these animals live,” said Viezbicke. “To them an ailing marine mammal is a meal and what happened was a natural process within the marine world.”
