The Shortfin Mako shark is widely recognized as one of the fastest and most highly mobile predators in the world’s oceans, often reaching speeds up to 45 miles per hour in short bursts. This exceptional speed is supported by regional endothermy, a unique biological trait that allows the shark to maintain a body temperature warmer than the surrounding water. Found globally in tropical and temperate pelagic waters, the Mako shark is an aggressive hunter that occupies a position near the top of the marine food web.
Natural Predators of the Mako Shark
The list of natural predators capable of successfully hunting a healthy, full-grown Shortfin Mako shark is extremely short. Orcas, or Killer Whales, represent the most significant threat to mature Mako sharks in the open ocean. These marine mammals possess the intelligence and complex social structures necessary to coordinate attacks on large, fast-moving prey. Orcas use sophisticated pack-hunting strategies to isolate and subdue sharks.
Observations show that Orcas often target the Mako shark’s liver, an organ rich in oils and nutrients. They can disable a shark by ramming it or by flipping it upside down, inducing tonic immobility, a state of temporary paralysis. This method allows the Orca to manipulate the shark while minimizing the risk of injury from its teeth.
Larger Great White sharks also represent a potential, opportunistic threat, particularly to smaller sub-adult Mako sharks. While both species are apex predators, competitive interactions occur, and Great Whites may prey on Mako sharks when the opportunity arises. The size and power of a mature Great White can overcome a sub-adult Mako.
Size and Vulnerability Across Life Stages
The Mako shark’s risk of being eaten depends heavily on its size and age, with vulnerability decreasing drastically after the juvenile phase. Shortfin Mako pups are born at a large size, approximately two feet long, which offers an immediate survival advantage against smaller fish predators. Despite this, pups and smaller juveniles are susceptible to a wider range of larger oceanic predators.
Pelagic sharks, such as larger Tiger sharks or certain species of Hammerheads, prey on smaller, less experienced Mako juveniles. These young sharks remain in coastal nursery areas, where they are exposed to coastal-dwelling sharks before venturing into the deeper waters of the open ocean.
Once a Mako shark reaches a length of around 10 feet, its speed and size make it nearly invulnerable to natural threats. At this adult stage, a Mako is too fast and too large for almost any animal to successfully capture. Only the largest, most coordinated predators, such as Orca pods, pose a consistent danger.
The Dominant Threat: Human Interaction
Despite having few natural enemies, the Shortfin Mako shark faces an overwhelming threat from human activities, which have become the primary cause of mortality globally. Commercial fishing operations, particularly those using longlines, frequently catch Mako sharks, often as unintended bycatch while targeting species like tuna and swordfish. The Mako is also a target species due to the commercial value of its meat and fins.
The species’ life history traits, including a slow growth rate and late sexual maturity, make them highly vulnerable to overfishing. Females may not reproduce until around 19 years old. This slow reproductive cycle means that populations struggle to recover quickly when adult sharks are removed at high rates. Scientific assessments have classified the Shortfin Mako as Endangered in many regions, reflecting steep population declines.
Fisheries management organizations have implemented measures, such as retention bans in the North Atlantic, to prohibit the landing of Mako sharks and reduce fishing mortality. Even with these regulations, mortality remains high because many sharks caught as bycatch on longlines do not survive, even if they are released. Recreational sport fishing also contributes to the pressure, although large-scale commercial capture remains the greater ecological concern.