Mako Shark

The mako shark holds a prominent position in the marine world. Belonging to the Lamnidae family, which includes other iconic sharks like the great white, the mako distinguishes itself through its exceptional speed and agility.

Two species exist today: the shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) and the less common longfin mako (Isurus paucus). Their streamlined bodies, designed for minimal resistance in the water, allow them to reach astonishing speeds, making them powerful hunters of fast-moving prey like tuna and swordfish.

Beyond their physical prowess, makos exhibit complex behaviors and play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of their respective ecosystems. Read along to learn more about the fascinating world of mako sharks.

 

Appearance 

The mako shark has a cylindrical hydrodynamic body that allows it to move very quickly through the ocean. Their skin is a great blue color, with a white underside. This is something known as countershading. It allows them to blend in either with the dark depths of the ocean or the ocean surface, lightened by the sun’s rays. 

Some common names include, mackerel shark, blue pointer, mako and marrajo

The females are slightly longer than the males, reaching lengths between 10.5 to 12.5 feet, or 3.2 and 3.8 meters. The sharks also weigh anywhere between 130-330 pounds, or 60 to 150 kg, with the females on the heavier end of that spectrum. 

The sharks have a full caudal fin with a strong lower lobe as well as two drains, one much smaller than the other. The sharks also have two pectoral fins that are fairly short as well.

Like most sharks, they have pointed snouts, small black eyes and long gill slits. Juveniles are recognizable by black markings on the tip of their snouts. These sharks are also known for their very large teeth that often protrude from their mouths even when they are closed.

Habitat

Mako sharks live in temperate and tropical seas all over the world. However their largest concentration is in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. In the Pacific, most of the sharks are along the American coasts as well as on the coasts of New Zealand and Australia. They can also be found in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.

These pelagic sharks may venture up to depths of around 500 feet or 150 meters.

Diet

Mako sharks are incredible predators. They feed on several species of fish but prefer Atlantic blue fish, which make up almost the entire day of their diet. It’s not uncommon, though, to find them feeding on octopus and bony fish like tuna and swordfish, as well as dolphins, squids, sea turtles, small marine mammals and even other small sharks.

These incredible hunters consume around 3% of their weight every day.

Mako sharks have, on occasion, been known to attack humans when provoked. A recent study found that a mako shark delivered the most powerful bite by a shark ever recorded. It was measured by what the inventor calls a “bite-meter,” and it came in at 3,000 pounds or 13,000 newtons of pressure. In comparison, the animal with the strongest bite ever measured was the saltwater crocodile, with 17,000 newtons, according to Newsweek. 

Reproduction

Male sharks reach sexual maturity of different sizes. Females are almost 1/3 larger than their male counterparts when they are sexually mature. They are generally solitary individuals, meaning that it’s rare to find them grouped and even rare to find males and females mixed. They usually travel in groups according to sex, except for when they’re mating, which occurs in late summer and early fall.

Males can be aggressive during the mating season, often injuring and scarring females in the process. They are ovoviviparous, meaning that the young are nourished via the placenta and born live. They have a gestation period of 15 to 18 months, with a three-year reproductive cycle. This means they will only produce 3 to 4 litters in their lifetime. Litter size varies from 4 to 25 pups, but an average litter will have 10 to 18 pups. 

 

Threats

Today, the shark is listed as “vulnerable” on the IUCN red list of threatened species. It has luckily not been exposed to the same degree of expensive hunting practices as other sharks but has still been hunted for its flesh, liver, cartilage, oil, and much more.

Overfishing is a primary concern, with makos frequently caught as bycatch in commercial fisheries. This, coupled with the cruel and wasteful practice of finning, where sharks are stripped of their fins and discarded at sea, has severely depleted populations. Habitat degradation, resulting from pollution, coastal development, and the effects of climate change, further compounds the problem by disrupting prey availability and altering migration patterns. Illegal fishing, particularly in poorly regulated waters, exacerbates these pressures.

Furthermore, their naturally slow reproductive rate makes them particularly vulnerable to population declines and hinders their ability to recover from overfishing. These combined threats necessitate urgent and effective conservation measures to safeguard the future of these remarkable apex predators.

6 More Interesting Facts about the Mako Shark 

1. This shark is also known for its incredible leaping ability. It can jump up to 10 feet out of the water while hunting. 
2. The species has no known natural predators that pose a true danger. 
3. They are partially warm-blooded (endothermic), allowing them to maintain a higher body temperature than the surrounding water.
4. Makos are known for their acrobatic leaps out of the water, sometimes reaching heights of several meters.
5. They undertake long-distance migrations across tropical and temperate waters.
6. The shark has historically been hunted for its meat, fins, skin, teeth, and oil.

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