Hammerhead Sharks Spotted at Kaneohe Sandbar

Written by Tim Sakahara - tsakahara@kgmb9.com

June 13, 2008 06:23 PM

Shark experts are taking a closer look at a somewhat unusual sight at Kaneohe Bay. Boaters took photos of nine hammerhead sharks that swam into the shallow area of the sandbar. The biggest shark spotted was nine feet long. Some people were brave enough to try and approach the animals. Hammerheads typically don't bother humans still people should stay away from them especially if they are feeding or giving birth. "Every summer we have an influx of hammerheads into Kaneohe Bay and other shallow areas like Pearl Harbor and Hawaii Kai and they come in and the females have their babies and the big females go back out into the open ocean and the babies, the pups grow up in Kaneohe Bay," said Kim Holland, University of Hawaii Researcher. Experts say they don't usually swim into such shallow water and it is rare for them to swim up to people. "Certainly you don't want to get in the middle of a school of sharks because just brushing up against them will give you a bruise or contusion because their skin is sort of like sand paper. So you don't want to be silly but hammerheads themselves are not dangerous to humans," said Holland.

Last Updated ( June 13, 2008 06:23 PM )