shark
Whitetip reef shark.
Triaenodon obesus · also: Whitetip (not the oceanic whitetip)
A slender, cat-eyed shark with bright white-tipped fins, unusual for resting motionless on the sand or stacked in reef caves by day. It can pump water over its gills to breathe while still. At night it becomes a relentless crevice-hunter, wriggling into coral to flush out sleeping fish.
Size
~1.6 m
Weight
Around 20 kg (up to ~28 kg).
Diet
Reef fishes, octopus, crustaceans and lobsters, prised from crevices.
Lifespan
At least ~16 years.
Depth
Typically 8–40 m on the reef bottom (recorded to ~330 m).
Reproduction
Live-bearing; 1–5 pups, gestation ~10–14 months.
Snorkel or dive
Dive (some shallow snorkel)
Best season
Year-round
Conservation
Vulnerable
How to recognise it
Slender grey body; bright white tips on first dorsal and upper tail lobe.
Behaviour
Largely nocturnal; rests by day in caves and under ledges, often stacked in groups.
Where to see it in the Maldives
Abundant atoll-wide on thilas and overhangs; famous on Maaya Thila night dives (N. Ari).
Recorded at
Atolls
Dive sites
Conservation
Reef fisheries and bycatch, habitat degradation, localised depletion.
IUCN · Vulnerable
Watch them responsibly
Don't poke resting sharks in caves or under ledges — let resting animals rest; keep distance.
Can pump water over its gills while lying still, so it doesn't need to keep swimming to breathe.
Several will pile into the same cave to rest together, returning to favoured shelters day after day.
Collective noun: a shiver of sharks
Want to dive with whitetip reef shark?
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Sightings are typical, not guaranteed — encounters vary with season and conditions.