Scalloped Hammerhead

Photo: Kris Mikael Krister · CC BY

Schools of scalloped hammerheads aggregate at Sebastião Gomes during the cooler winter months when upwelling brings nutrient-rich water to the reef. They are believed to use the reef as a social gathering and possibly mating site, with groups sometimes numbering in the dozens. As a globally endangered species, their presence at this remote site underscores the conservation importance of the Abrolhos Bank ecosystem.