Silky shark

Photo: dpellman · CC BY-NC

Silky sharks are among the most commonly encountered open-ocean sharks in tropical seas and at Gladden Wall they patrol the blue water alongside the wall edge year-round. Slender and fast-moving with a characteristically smooth-looking skin texture that gives them their name, they are inquisitive without being aggressive and will circle divers at a respectful distance. They are a key indicator of offshore ecosystem health.