The blacktip shark is a slender, fast-moving predator that grows to around 2.7 m and is instantly recognisable by dark tips on its dorsal and pectoral fins. Found in warm coastal and estuarine waters worldwide, it hunts small fish and crustaceans in shallow bays and along drop-offs, often leaping clear of the water when pursuing prey. Listed as vulnerable, it is caught extensively in commercial and artisanal fisheries throughout its range.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Elasmobranchii
- Order
- Carcharhiniformes
- Family
- Carcharhinidae
- Genus
- Carcharhinus
Most likely to be seen at
Sites where its range and habitat make it likely — not yet confirmed by a logged sighting.