Shark, White-tipped Reef
The Whitetip Reef Shark is an unaggressive, slender shark with a very broad and flattened head. The snout is broadly rounded, and there are short labial furrows. The first dorsal fin is well behind the free rear ends of the pectoral fins. The second dorsal fin is large, but still smaller than the first one. Pectoral fins are farily broad and triangular. There is no interdorsal ridge, and no lateral keels on the caudal peduncle. This shark is often found resting in crevices and coral caves during the day. It is easily recognized by the white-tipped first dorsal fin and upper lobe of the caudal fin, and by the small head. The basic coloration is brown or gray on the upper body with a light ventral surface. The first dorsal fin and upper caudal fin have a conspiduous white tip. There are small dark spots over the entire body. Other fins may have white tips, also. Adults can reach a length of about six feet.
Class: Fish (Pisces)
Range: Western Indian Ocean to eastern Pacific coast of Central America
Habitat: Ocean bottom, never far from shallow rocks and reefs.
Lifespan: Up to 25 years
Wild Diet: Small fish, squid, octopus and shrimp
Zoo Diet: Squid, crab, shrimp, smelt – other food that drops to the bottom
They are considered to be a timid shark and fairly sedentary. They can generally be found on the ocean bottom in shallow water, or in coral caves, reefs and lagoons. They are unaggressive. They stay close to the bottom to feed on reef fishes and octopi from the reef. Even though found in company with other Whitetips while resting in caves, these sharks do not swim together at night, when they are most active. They are inquisitive, and often approach divers. From experience, they have learned that the activities of divers hold the promise of providing a meal of speared fish. They are sluggish, moving no more than a few kilometers from tagging sites in periods of as much as a year. Swimming is in an undulating manner.
One to five young are born, but the gestation period has not been determined. They take about five years to reach maturity.
Litter: One to five young; normally two or three
Conservation Status: Near Threatened
They are considered harmless, but accidents have happened. (Probably based on harassment by divers and swimmers).