Description
· What they look like
Whitetip reef sharks are easy to identify by the skinny, tubular and elongated body, and they have oval eyes, a flat head and a blunt snout.
· Colour
Whitetip sharks most notable for their white tips of the dorsal fins and the upper lobe of the caudal fin. In addition they can also have white tips to the second dorsal and lower lobe of te caudal fin, they have gray/brown backs often with a scattering of faint black blotches.
· Teeth
The upper and lower jaw teeth of whitetip reef sharks are alike, they are small with points either side of each tooths base, best suited for holding.
· Size
Whitetip reef sharks average between 100-210cm, although individuals larger than 160cm are rare.
· Food
The whitetip reef shark primarily feeds on small bony fishes and octopus, with a preference to feeding at night on the bottom amoung cracks and crevices.
Habitat
The whitetip reef shark tends to inhabit reefs around atolls and lagoons, it is often seen at rest on the sand as it is capable of respiring without current or forward motion. Prodominately a bottom dwelling, often found taking refuse in caves and crevices.
Danger Factor
This species tends neither to attracted to nor repelled by a divers/snorklers presence unless harassed, it is not considered dangerous to people because of its small size.
