EndangeredSmooth-hound
Mustelus mustelus
Cartilaginous fish · Carcharhiniformes · Triakidae
Galeorhinus galeus
At extremely high risk of imminent extinction in the wild.
The tope is a slender shark of temperate waters, well known in Spain because it is the basis of the Andalusian dish cazón en adobo. Its populations have collapsed worldwide: it was fished intensively for its meat and for its liver oil, rich in vitamin A, and today it ranks among the most threatened coastal sharks on the planet.
Weight
10 kg – 45 kg
Size
1.2 m – 2 m
Life expectancy
55 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Irregular activity
Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.
Social structure
School
Gathers in coordinated schools, typical of fish.
Sighting difficulty
Very hard
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galeorhinus_galeus
Best time: From spring to autumn in temperate waters of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean; the females come into shallow bays and estuaries to pup.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 20 of 168.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Tope — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The tope is classified as critically endangered. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 12 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Based on what we already know about tope.
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The pins mark the parks and dive sites where its presence is documented.
