First identification of probable nursery habitat for critically endangered great hammerhead Sphyrna mokarran on the Atlantic Coast of the United States

• DOI: 10.1111/csp2.418
• Publication Date: 2021-07-11T12:01:00Z
• Authors: Catherine Macdonald; Jacob Jerome; Christian Pankow; Nicholas Perni; Kristina Black; David Shiffman; Julia Wester
• Keywords: Critical habitat; Miami; Fish measurement; Nursery habitat

Abstract Great hammerheads ( Sphyrna mokarran ) have undergone significant global population declines and were assessed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN in 2019. Identification protection of critical habitat, particularly during early life stages, is considered imperative for species conservation management. We report first identification a probable nursery area young‐of‐the‐year juvenile great off Atlantic coast United States. Notably, these animals all encountered within highly human‐impacted marine habitats near Miami, Florida. The capture nine individuals under 200 cm total length 10‐month period supports hypothesis that this represents primary or secondary habitat hammerheads.