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Animal profile

Shortfin Mako

Isurus oxyrinchus

ChondrichthyesOpen ocean from the surface to several hundred metres, in temperate and tropical seasEndangered

Field profile

The shortfin mako is a slender, metallic-blue lamnid shark built for speed, commonly two to three metres long. It hunts fast prey such as mackerel, tuna and squid, and is famous among anglers for leaping clear of the water. Like the great white it keeps its swimming muscles warmer than the sea.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2023-03-09

Shortfin Mako

The shortfin mako is the fastest shark measured

Makos are the quickest sharks anyone has reliably clocked, with sustained speeds around 30 kilometres per hour and short bursts considerably higher. Many widely quoted top speeds are extrapolations from hooked fish rather than measurements of free swimming.

Read with evidence →

Shortfin Mako | Daily Animal Facts