Leopard Shark

Photo: Luis P. B. · CC BY-NC

Leopard sharks — also called zebra sharks in their juvenile patterned form — rest motionless on the sandy bottom at South Reef, particularly between April and August when calmer conditions allow them to settle undisturbed. Adults reach over 2.5 metres and are entirely docile, permitting patient divers to observe them at very close range. Their presence on the sandy channels between bommies highlights the importance of mixed sand-and-reef habitats for elasmobranch rest ecology.