Breath holding, a new discovered habit of this shark

A new study by UH Minoa finds how hammerhead sharks keep warm on deep water hunts. Researchers discovered these animals actually hold their breath to stay warm. Shark gills are natural radiators, helping to cool the blood, muscles and organs, so keeping them closed keeps them warm, which is needed in order to hunt effectively. Researchers say the sharks can hold their breath for an average of 17 minutes, but they only spend an average of four minutes at the bottom of their dives at extreme depths before quickly returning to warmer surface waters. Scalloped hammerhead sharks are not listed as threatened in Hawaii, but are considered endangered in other parts of the world.

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