Longimanus whitetip reef shark

Photo: Hugo Brisset · CC BY-NC

Whitetip reef sharks rest in loose groups beneath overhangs and in crevices along Elphinstone's walls throughout the day, becoming active hunters after dark. Unlike their oceanic cousins they are site-faithful, with individuals returning to the same resting ledge for years. Their slender, flexible bodies allow them to pursue prey into reef crevices that would stop larger sharks, making them the dominant nocturnal predator on the reef structure.