Horn Shark
Heterodontus francisci
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassElasmobranchii
- OrderHeterodontiformes (Bullhead Sharks)
- FamilyHeterodontidae (Bullhead Sharks)
- GenusHeterodontus (Bullhead Sharks)
- SpeciesHeterodontus francisci (Horn Shark)
The horn shark (Heterodontus francisci) is a species of bullhead shark, in the family Heterodontidae. It is endemic to the coastal waters off the western coast of North America, from California to the Gulf of California. Young sharks are segregated spatially from the adults, with the former preferring deeper sandy flats and the latter preferring shallower rocky reefs or algal beds. A small species typically measuring 1 m (3.3 ft) in length, the horn shark can be recognized by a short, blunt head with ridges over its eyes, two high dorsal fins with large spines, and a brown or gray coloration with many small dark spots. Slow-moving, generally solitary predators, horn sharks hunt at night inside small home ranges and retreat to a favored shelter during the day. Their daily activity cycles are controlled by environmental light levels. Wikipedia →
40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Horn Shark sighting in Channel Islands National Park, based on 33 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Horn Shark in Channel Islands National Park?
About 42% of wildlife watchers report a Horn Shark sighting in Channel Islands National Park, based on 33 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Horn Shark in Channel Islands National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Horn Shark in Channel Islands National Park in our monthly data.