One of the first questions, every visitor ask is, “Are there sharks out here?” My answer is always, “yes,” followed by the different types we have out in our local waters. “Leopards, angels, swell, 7 gilled, and horn sharks.”
If they ask about the landlord, I let them know he is out there (it’s his home) but he is generally way down East. I continue to tell them about the little, adorable shark we see frequently, and especially this time of year.
The horn shark is small and prefers to be in shallow waters up to 40 feet. It spends its days in caves and kelp beds, hiding out, and hunting at night. (Unfortunately, many are caught in lobster hoop nets.) Apparently, their spines can be made into jewelry.
Females lay spiral egg cases, that they wedge into crevices. This unique devise hopefully protects it from harm. The shark pup, one per case, takes up to 6-9 months to hatch. When I first started diving, my dive instructor, showed me a casing behind her saltwater toilet, that she returned to see, when the pup was ready to eat its clever casing! CIMI has/had a great display of the casing with a light that could shine behind it, to curious future biologist, the shark pup inside.
Horn shark camouflage with the ocean’s bottom topography. Their two horns on their dorsal fins help protect it from others. Warning: humans should be extremely careful if the need to move one exists.
The scientific name for the horn shark is: Heterodontus. This is a Greek word for “different teeth”. The teeth lining the front of shark’s jaws are sharp and used for catching prey. The teeth in the back are flat, used for crushing shellfish.
Want to see a horn shark? Enter the stairs and go right. More can be seen between Descanso Beach and Hamilton Cove pier.
Sea you at the stairs …
Tina Kennedy has resided in Avalon for more than 40 years, and manages Catalina Divers Supply. She loves swimming, diving, snorkeling, and paddling in the island’s waters. Contact her at info@catalinadiverssupply.com