Common Thresher Shark

Photo: Andrey M. M. · CC BY-NC

Common thresher sharks are drawn to Roja Piedra's current-swept walls, where they use their extraordinary elongated tail — as long as their body — to stun schooling anchoveta with powerful swipes before consuming the stunned prey. They are most frequently seen during the cold months of June through September, when the upwelling is most intense and prey concentrations are highest. Witnessing a thresher hunting is one of the most spectacular events in Peruvian diving, as the tail strike can be fast enough to create an audible crack in the water column.