Mako Sharks, are a mackerel sharks that are incredibly fast swimmers, some say the fastest swimming shark and have on a number of times been seen to leap out of the water.
Some speed estimates are about 35kph or 22mph.
Did you know that the word Mako is a Maori word.
It is also known as the bonito and the blue pointer.
The mako is found around our coasts though are more common around northern New Zealand.
The Mako are pelagic oceanic swimmers, and are occasionally found inshore.
The Mako migrates about 2500km or 1550 miles seasonally.
The Mako has short fins and as well as being found in our waters it is found world wide in warm and tropical oceans. They normally swim deep below the surface as they prefer cool water about 18.5°C or 65°F.
These Short finned Makos average between 1.5-2.5mts or 5'to 8' long though sometimes they can reach 3.7 mts or 12'long, and weigh about 450kg or 1,000 lbs.
The Mako shark has short fins a conical snout, and long gill slits.
It is dark gray blue colour on top and white on its belly.
The Mako's teeth are long, thin, and sharp. These teeth are so designedas to enable the shark to catch slippery fish, the main supliment of its diet.
The Sharks teeth are located in rows which rotate into use as needed. The first two rows are used in obtaining prey, the other rows rotate into place as they are needed. As these teeth are lost, or broken they are replaced by these new teeth that rotate into place.
Makos are an opportunistic feeder, this means that they will eat just about anything. Though they mainly feed on schooling fish, including tuna, herring, mackerel, swordfish, and porpoise.
The Mako sharks young are cannibalistic when born . An average litter of young would be about 10 - 12 pups and are about 0.6 mts or 2' long at birth.