Vulnerable· population decreasing· assessed 2020

Whitetip Reef Shark

Triaenodon obesus

Sighting evidence at Molokini Crater, Maui

Photo: thegeckoguy907 · CC BY-NC

Whitetip reef sharks rest in loose groups along Molokini's sandy channel floors during the day before dispersing to hunt at dusk, using an electroreceptive sixth sense to locate prey hidden in crevices. Their presence at Molokini is ecologically significant as an indicator of reef health, and they actively suppress the populations of smaller fish that would otherwise overgraze corals.

Evidence at this site

6 records within 25 km

Confidence: medium

Last confirmed May 2026

Seasonality

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.

Whitetip Reef Shark

Evidence at this site

Seasonality

Also seen at other sites