Thresher shark ©Rob Hughes, Devon Sea Safari
Thresher shark
The thresher shark is a migratory species and passes through UK waters in the summer months. If you’re lucky, you might see this magnificent shark jump high out of the water in to the air.
Scientific name
Alopias vulpinusWhen to see
Present in the summer monthsSpecies information
Statistics
Length: Up to 6mWeight: Up to 340 kg
Lifespan: They live for up to 50 years.
The thresher shark is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List.
Habitats
About
The thresher shark spends most of its time in the deep waters of the open sea, rarely straying into coastal areas. To survive in these colder waters, they have evolved to be endothermic. This means that they can keep their body temperature higher than the temperature of the surrounding water. They do this through a specialised heat exchange system, which allows them to conserve heat produced through internal body mechanisms such as metabolism or muscle shivering.How to identify
A large shark, with the "classic shark shape" - a torpedo-shaped body, large dorsal fin and large pectoral fins. The thresher shark is easily told from other sharks by the long upper lobe of the tail, which can be as long as the shark's body.Distribution
Found in tropical and temperate seas around the world, including the UK.In our area
Thresher sharks are not common to the UK but are a migratory species and can be seen during the Summer months when the UK waters are at the warmest. Thresher sharks are normally found in deeper water away from land but if you're lucky you might be able to see a Thresher jump high from the water into the air!
Did you know?
Thresher sharks use their extremely long tail to hunt. They herd smaller fish into tight shoals, swim at them and thrash their tail like a whip, stunning some of the fish and making them easy to catch.Thresher sharks are not common to the UK but are a migratory species and can be seen during the Summer months when the UK waters are at the warmest. Thresher sharks are normally found in deeper water away from land but if you're lucky you might be able to see a Thresher jump high from the water into the air!