Blacktip Reef Shark

Photo: Sabine Templeton · CC BY-NC

Blacktip reef sharks patrol the shallow lava ledges around Gunung Api's coastline, hunting in the surge zone where disoriented reef fish make easy prey. Their preference for shallow reef environments makes them one of the most commonly encountered sharks in the Banda Sea and they play a key role in maintaining reef fish community balance by selectively targeting weakened or injured individuals. Their tolerance for the volcanic substrate — patrolling both pristine and pioneer reef sections equally — suggests highly flexible habitat use.