White-tip Reef Shark

Photo: elviswlc · © all rights reserved

White-tip reef sharks rest in loose aggregations on the sandy floor beneath reef overhangs during the day and become active hunters along the channel walls at dusk. They are strongly site-faithful and individual sharks can be recognised by fin notches, making them valuable subjects for long-term population studies run by local operators. Their presence is an indicator of reef health, as they occupy the apex predator niche in the Kerama benthic community.