9781422276792

The thresher shark’s tail resembles a farmer’s hand scythe.

Thresher sharks only mate one or two times over the course of their twenty- year lifespan, as they typically take six to eight years to reach maturity. Thresher shark babies, or pups, are typically born four at a time. The pups are not raised by their parents—they are usually on their own from the time their mother gives birth to them. It’s hard to say exactly how thresher pups learn to hunt, as neither parent sticks around after birth, and they do not tend to stay with their brothers and sisters for more than a few moments. Thresher sharks are incredibly fast swimmers, easily reaching speeds of up to 30 mph (48 kmph). They are able to achieve these speeds thanks in part to their powerful tails propelling them through the water. They are often sighted breaching the water while hunting, sometimes with pieces of their prey in their mouths. It’s unlikely to observe this behavior near the coast, as most thresher sharks prefer to swim in the deep, open ocean.

12