Sharks
Blacktip Reef Shark
Carcharhinus melanopterus · Cartilaginous fish — family Carcharhinidae
The blacktip reef shark is many divers' first shark, and it wears the role well: a trim, tan-bronze animal with every fin tipped in black, patrolling turquoise shallows like a wind-up toy set to wary. It rarely lets anyone closer than a few meters, which keeps the encounter honest — you watch a genuinely wild predator do its rounds through nursery lagoons and coral gardens. In French Polynesia and the Maldives they gather by the dozen in ankle-deep water at dusk. The species' devotion to shallow fringing reefs, its strength, is also its exposure: that habitat takes the brunt of coastal development and inshore netting.
Où et quand en observer un
« Résident » signifie que la plupart des plongées sur ce site permettent de les observer ; « saisonnier » signifie qu'ils sont présents de manière fiable durant les mois indiqués ; tout le reste est un bonus, pas une certitude.
| Destination | Fiabilité | Mois | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| KomodoIndonesia | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année | |
| Sipadan & MabulMalaysia | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année | |
| PalauPalau | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année | |
| North & South Malé AtollsMaldives | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année | |
| Similan Islands & Richelieu RockThailand | Resident — seen on most dives | Oct–May |
Meilleur mois, en un coup d'œil
Les comprendre
Habitat: Shallow lagoons, reef flats, and fringing-reef edges — often in water that barely covers its dorsal fin
Aire de répartition: Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and East Africa through Southeast Asia to northern Australia and the central Pacific islands
Comportement: Skittish and quick, patrolling the shallows in tight, nervous arcs. Small home ranges mean the same individuals work the same lagoon for years. Snorkelers see them more often than divers do, ink-dipped fins slicing the surface over sand flats at high tide.
Régime alimentaire: Small reef fish, octopus, crustaceans, and the occasional sea snake
Taille: généralement autour de 1.2 m; documenté jusqu'à 1.8 m (total length; most lagoon animals are around a meter).
Comment se comporter avec lui
Let them come to you — standing still in a lagoon channel works better than pursuit. No feeding outside long-established, regulated programs, and no cornering animals against the reef flat.
Conservation
Uplisted to Vulnerable in 2020 — small litters, strong site fidelity, and intense inshore fishing pressure across Southeast Asia leave little buffer despite the species' visibility to tourists.
Sites répertoriés connus pour leur présence
Regarder
Depuis les canaux officiels
Best Places to Dive with Whale Sharks
Outrageously Tiny Fish
Sink or Swim? with Monét X Change | Monterey Bay Aquarium
Les vidéos sont des liens intégrés vers les chaînes de leurs créateurs — nous n'hébergeons rien et créditons tout.