Blacktip reef shark
Carcharhinus melanopterus
- Not on exhibit
- Animal type
- Sharks & rays
- Ecosystem
- Coral reefs
- Relatives
- Other sharks, rays, skates; Family: Carcharhinidae (requiem sharks)
- Diet
- Small fishes, crustaceans and cephalopods
- Range
- Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands; north to Japan and south to Australia
- Size
- Up to 6 feet (1.8 m)
Meet the blacktip reef shark
The blacktip reef shark patrols its territory in coral lagoons and around the edges of reefs. It often swims in water shallow enough that its triangular, black-tipped top fin protrudes above the surface, presenting a classic shark image.
Natural history
The blacktip isn’t as menacing as it may seem. It’s curious about divers in its territory, but it’s also wary and may be easily frightened. This shark hunts the abundant fishes that live on the reefs.
Conservation
The blacktip shark is often caught and discarded as bycatch from other fisheries. Like many other species of shark, the blacktip population is declining. It’s listed as “Near Threatened” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).
Cool facts
- A female blacktip shark incubates its young for about 12 months before giving birth. It usually produces litters of two to four pups.
- This shark can supposedly jump over shallow reefs and leap out of water. In Hawaii, some families see this shark as their “aumakua,” or guardian spirit, feeding and rarely killing them.
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