A sleek, slender open-ocean shark named for the smooth, silky feel of its fine-scaled skin. One of the most abundant pelagic sharks worldwide, it is curious and often shadows divers in the blue. It associates with tuna schools and floating objects — which sadly makes it a frequent longline and purse-seine victim.
- Size
- ~2.5–3.5 m
- Weight
- Up to ~346 kg.
- Diet
- Pelagic bony fishes (especially tuna), squid and pelagic crabs.
- Lifespan
- ~23 years.
- Depth
- Surface to ~500 m usually.
- Reproduction
- Live-bearing; ~2–18 pups, gestation ~9–12 months.
- Snorkel or dive
- Dive — advanced (blue water)
- Best season
- Opportunistic
- Conservation
- Vulnerable
How to recognise it
Slender and streamlined; smooth silky skin; small first dorsal set well back; bronze sheen.
Behaviour in the wild
Oceanic and pelagic; associates with tuna schools and open-water current lines.
Where to see it in the Maldives
Open/outer water of the southern atolls — Huvadhoo channels and Fuvahmulah; seen in the blue.
Visual field notes
See silky shark from more than one angle.
2 human-reviewed photographs chosen for identity, habitat and behaviour.
01 · Field portrait · Species reference
PhotoAlex ChernikhCC BY 2.5web-adapted
02 · Habitat · Species reference
PhotoJoi Ito from Inbamura, JapanCC BY 2.0web-adapted
Recorded locations
Build a trip from real sighting records.
Dive and snorkel sites
Conservation context
Vulnerable — among the most heavily traded sharks for fins; massive tuna-fishery bycatch.
IUCN · Vulnerable
Watch responsibly
Stay grouped and aware in open water (they can be persistently curious); keep distance, no feeding.
Field notes
One of the most abundant oceanic sharks globally, yet heavily hit by tuna-fishery bycatch.
Juveniles shelter under drifting debris and fish-aggregating devices — a habit that funnels them into industrial gear.
Collective noun · a shiver of sharks
Profile references
References are shown transparently; profile copy may also include editorial synthesis. Seasons and sightings vary with wild conditions.
