The whitetip reef shark is a slender, grey-brown shark with distinctive white tips on its dorsal and caudal fins. Growing to around 2.1 metres, it hunts in shallow reef environments, often poking into crevices and caves for small fish and crustaceans. Divers commonly encounter them resting on sandy patches between coral heads during the day, and they become more active at dusk. Though generally wary of people, they are a vulnerable species and have declined in areas of heavy fishing pressure.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Elasmobranchii
- Order
- Carcharhiniformes
- Family
- Carcharhinidae
- Genus
- Triaenodon
Most likely to be seen at
Sites where its range and habitat make it likely — not yet confirmed by a logged sighting.