Silvertip shark

Photo: Susanne Spindler · CC BY-NC-ND

Silvertips are seen at Habili Ali's deeper margins from October through January, their distinctive white-tipped and white-edged fins making them easy to distinguish from the more numerous whitetips at mid-water. They are territorial around seamounts and pinnacles, often displaying dominance over smaller reef sharks by swimming with exaggerated stiffness. Less common than oceanic whitetips but equally striking, a silvertip sighting at Habili Ali adds considerable weight to an already exceptional pelagic dive.