AnimalID

Name

5411

Short Fin Mako Shark

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Description:

The mako shark gets its name from the Maori language of New Zealand. In Maori, the term "mako-mako" means "man eater"--an apt name for a fish that has destroyed boats and killed fisherman while fighting the hook. This cartilaginous fish is also known as the Blue Pointer, the Mackerel shark, the Snapper shark, and the Bonito shark in various parts of the world. Scientifically known as Isurus oxyrinchus, the mako shark is commonly considered a game fish by fishermen around the world. This shark is not easy to hook, however. While fighting to escape the hook, the mako shark has been known to leap 20 feet into the air and travel at speeds of 22 miles per hour, making it one of the fastest fish in the world.

Although the average mako is under 10 feet long, known specimens have exceeded 13 feet in length and 1,000 pounds in weight. The mako shark has a dark purple body, with a silvery coloration on the sides, fading to a white belly. These sharks have two dorsal fins, a pair of narrow pectoral fins, and an anal fin. On their narrow heads, they have prominent eyes and a conical snout. A set of long gill slits allows the shark to breath, just as other fish do.

The mako has long, curved teeth that it can use to grasp fish, the staple of its diet. These teeth can be seen even when the shark’s mouth is closed. Like other sharks, the mako has two rows of teeth for catching prey and several more rows as backups, that will move up to replace broken, lost, or damaged teeth. The mako has two jaws that are separate from the animal’s skull. These jaws are attached with ligaments and muscles and can be operated independently. Since sharks do not chew their food, the mako uses its jaws to carve its prey before consuming it. The first strike is with the lower jaw, wounding the prey animal. Then the mako uses its upper jaw to bite off a piece of flesh. If they prey is small enough, the shark will simply swallow it whole, using gill-rakers in the back of its mouth to prevent the prey from swimming back out.

Once these large chunks of flesh are swallowed whole, the mako’s strong digestive system takes over. The stomach has loose walls and can stretch to accommodate very large meals. Extra strong gastric juices begin breaking down flesh as soon as the food enters the stomach. And when non-food items are swallowed along with food, the mako shark can evert its stomach, pushing it inside out to force the foreign objects back out. If the shark is threatened, it may evert its stomach, releasing any food in its stomach as a decoy meal to distract the predator that is threatening it.The mako makes up most of its diet with pelagic or bottom-dwelling fish. These fish include bluefish, mackerel, and tuna. Makos prefer schooling fish, and will migrate to higher latitudes in the summer to continue feeding on tuna schools. But the mako will eat almost anything it can catch, including swordfish (with the swords!), squid, and small cetaceans. And a mako shark angry about being hooked will attack a human. Many divers are familiar with the mako pattern of attack. Just before striking, a mako shark will often circle its prey in a figure eight pattern and then approach with open jaws. This is a signal to the diver that it’s time to leave the area!

Like many other (but not all) sharks, the mako shark is ovoviviparous. This means that eggs produced by the mother hatch in the uterus and develop there before the mother gives birth to live pups. These eggs have a much thinner membrane than those of sharks who lay eggs in egg sacs and deposit them in the ocean. Because the eggs are not sufficient to nourish the young, they will often eat other unfertilized eggs in the uterus, or even turn to cannibalism.

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The Life Cycle

Who do they like to live with and eat?

To build a good animal exhibit you need to ask a few questions: (click them for the answers)

Which tank wall is suitable for this animal?     Remember that all tanks need a tank filter!

How big should the exhibit be and what Depth should the tank be?

What foliage should be used?

What rocks should be used?

What shelter does the animal need?

What toy does the animal like?

Does this animal perform in a show?

No

TankWallName

Purchase Cost

See Through

Height

Strength

Life

Cost Effective

Concrete Edge and Glass

$125

Yes

3

500

13

10.4

Atlantean Tank Wall

$125

Yes

3

500

13

10.4

Solid Concrete

$125

No

3

500

13

10.4

Black Bar and Glass

$130

Yes

3

500

13

10.0

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Animal Density

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Number of Animals/Exhibit

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20

2

6

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Value

1

2

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4

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6

7

8

9

10

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Foliage

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ID

Value

TreeName

Foliage Effect

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ID

Value

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Size X

Size Y

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Shelter ID

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Shelter Effect

Purchase Cost

Capacity

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