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Shortfin Mako Takes Off After Tagging

Picture by: Mark Conlin Picture taken on: May 25th, 2011

Tags: shortfin mako shark southwest

Like its cousin, the great white, it keeps its body temperature warmer than the surrounding water temperature using a high metabolic rate and heat-exchange system. It has a remarkable swim speed reaching sustained speeds of 35 kph (with bursts over 80 kph) and has been known to travel over 2,092 km in little over a month. These sharks have a rapid growth rate, twice as fast as some of the other Lamnidae species. Males mature at around 2 m while females mature at about 2.6 m. A maximum length of 4 m long and max weight over 505.8 kg has been recorded.

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