The Common Thresher Shark

  The common thresher shark, also known as the whiptail shark, earns its name from its bizarre and yet successful hunting technique: using its abnormally long tail to stun fish. Its tail is equal in length to the rest of the body. These sharks can grow up to six metres long and are very shy of divers.
  Very few get to witness a thresher shark hunting in the wild, as they are reclusive creatures who spend most of their lives in the deepest parts of the sunlight zone and occasionally they may venture into the twilight zone. They generally feed on mackerel, anchovies and herring, but have been recorded as present for the Sardine Run. They also occasionally eat squid and octopi when they are in shallower waters. They can jump to astounding heights from the water in order to catch fish that make a break for it in the air.
  Unlike the majority of sharks, the common thresher posses certain physiological adaptations that allow them to remain warmer than the surrounding seawater, which is a notable advantage when hunting or being hunted.
  Despite their size, common thresher sharks are not a danger to humankind. Their teeth are small and unlikely to be able to puncture the skin of a human. However, it is important to resign to a safe distance when watching a thresher shark hunting, as its tail has also stunned humans in the past, the majority of whom drowned, with a minority being killed instantly due to a severe injury to the neck or scalp.
  Common thresher sharks are in danger of extinction due to gross overfishing. They are primarily one of the foremost species on the 'finners list of soup ingredients' but are also prized by recreational anglers as they are renowned for putting up a large fight when hooked on a line.

The dark blue shows the recorded range of the common thresher shark.
The light blue shows the suspected range of the common thresher shark.

A common thresher shark warily approaching a diver.