Whitetip Reef Shark

The whitetip reef shark Triaenodon obesus lives among the nooks and crannies of coral reefs. It rarely exceeds 1.8 m (6 ft) in length and has a squarish head, obvious nasal flaps and a distinct white tip to the anterior dorsal fin and upper lobe of the tail. Whitetip reef sharks are usually found during the day resting on the sand or hidden in underwater caves and crevices. Several sharks might share the same bolthole, but at dusk they go their separate ways. They hunt amongst the coral during the night, pushing and squirming into narrow crevices and holes in order to get at the prey, such as small fish and octopus. Small, pointed cusped teeth help them pull their prey from holes. They might break apart corals in their frenzied hunt, taking fish that are sleeping amongst the coral heads. After a night's fishing, they return to the same caves to 'rest'.