ORLANDO, Fla. — SeaWorld Orlando guests can now catch a glimpse of two endangered great hammerhead sharks during their next visit.
The pair of sharks, named Dutch and Dillon, were transferred from Georgia Aquarium as part of shark conservation programs across accredited zoos and aquariums.
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The pair joins five other shark species on display in the 700,000-gallon aquarium at Shark Encounter at SeaWorld Orlando.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists great hammerhead sharks as critically endangered. SeaWorld officials said their very large dorsal fin makes them very valuable on the shark fin market, which is the biggest threat to all shark species.
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Experts estimate great hammerhead shark populations have declined 50-80 percent.
Great hammerhead sharks are the largest of the nine species of hammerhead sharks. SeaWorld officials said the young males are about 7 feet long and expected to reach 10-15 feet long.
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