The "GT" is the muscular apex predator of Indo-Pacific reefs and channels — a silver torpedo that hunts in fast, coordinated bursts. It shadows reef sharks to snatch fleeing prey and even leaps clear of the water to grab seabirds. On Maldivian channel dives it often appears as a sudden, high-speed flash.
- Size
- ~170 cm, up to ~80 kg
- Weight
- Up to ~80 kg (length ~170 cm).
- Diet
- Over 90% fish, plus crustaceans, cephalopods and molluscs; even catches birds.
- Lifespan
- Roughly two decades (max ~24 years).
- Depth
- Surface to ~80–100+ m; adults on deeper reefs and atoll channels.
- Reproduction
- Matures at ~3.5 yrs; spawns in lunar-timed aggregations, peak ~May–August.
- Snorkel or dive
- Dive
- Best season
- Year-round; surface action best NE Nov–Apr
- Conservation
- Least Concern
How to recognise it
Deep powerful silver body with a steep head profile; males darken to near-black.
Behaviour in the wild
Fast apex reef predator; hunts at dawn/dusk in channels, often in small groups.
Where to see it in the Maldives
Channels and current-swept sites atoll-wide, e.g. Vaavu's channels; wherever currents funnel baitfish.
Visual field notes
See giant trevally from more than one angle.
3 human-reviewed photographs chosen for identity, habitat and behaviour.
01 · Field portrait · Maldives photograph
PhotoMDC SeaMarc MaldivesCC BY-SA 4.0web-adapted
02 · Behaviour & scale · Species reference
PhotoPeter SouthwoodCC BY-SA 3.0web-adapted
03 · Identification · Maldives photograph
PhotoStorm MartinCC BY 4.0web-adapted
Recorded locations
Build a trip from real sighting records.
Atolls
Show 6 more atollsHide extra atolls
Dive and snorkel sites
Explore 9 more recorded sitesHide extra sites
Conservation context
Heavy fishing/spearfishing on aggregations; locally depleted; ciguatera risk in large fish.
IUCN · Least Concern
Watch responsibly
Don't chase or corner hunting fish; let them pass, and avoid spearfishing on aggregation sites.
Field notes
Documented leaping clear of the water to snatch low-flying terns.
One of the few fish documented deliberately hunting birds, timing leaps to pluck terns from the air.
Collective noun · a school of trevally
Profile references
References are shown transparently; profile copy may also include editorial synthesis. Seasons and sightings vary with wild conditions.
