6. Whitetip Reef Sharks
What makes a Whitetip Reef Shark different from a Silvertip Shark? With a slim body that rarely grows larger than 2 metres, this shark has a more square snout than its silvertip cousins, and no white marks on the tips of its pectoral fins. The colouration is greyish to brownish on top and white on the underside with a pattern of scattered small, dark spots unique to each individual. A unique thing about these sharks is that they don’t have to constantly be moving for respiration, unlike their other requiem shark cousins. They can lay, completely motionless, on the bottom of the ocean floor and pump water over their gills for respiration. They often rest during the day in caves or other hidey-holes, solo or in groups, and sometimes stacked on top of each other almost like a puppy-pile. Whitetip Reef Sharks are also fairly common in the waters in and around Fuvahmulah and can be seen year-long. They should not be approached, and only be viewed with caution and the guidance of your dive master. Credits: Pelagic Dive Fuvahmulah www.instagram.com/pelagicdivefuvahmulah