Sharks
Leopard (Zebra) Shark
Stegostoma tigrinum · Cartilaginous fish, family Stegostomatidae
Finding a zebra shark on a sand flat feels like a gift: two meters of pale gold scattered with dark leopard rosettes, ridged like carved wood, motionless but wide awake, gills pulsing. It tolerates a careful diver at close range longer than almost any large shark, which made it a photographic staple across Thailand and the Coral Triangle, and made its decline conspicuous when nets emptied region after region. Thailand's Similans remain a stronghold, and Australia's east coast hosts famous seasonal gatherings. Watching one finally lift off, tail rippling like a ribbon in wind, is the quiet highlight of many trips.
Onde e quando ver um
"Residente" significa que a maioria dos mergulhos naquele destino os encontra; "sazonal" significa presença confiável nos meses listados; qualquer outra coisa é um bônus, não um plano.
| Destino | Fiabilidade | Meses | Notas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Similan Islands & Richelieu RockThailand | Resident: seen on most dives | Oct–May | |
| Cairns & the Ribbon ReefsAustralia | Occasional | Todo o ano | |
| Raja AmpatIndonesia | Occasional | Todo o ano | |
| Koh TaoThailand | Occasional | Todo o ano |
Melhor mês, em resumo
| Mês | Destinos fiáveis |
|---|---|
| January | Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock · Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Raja Ampat · Koh Tao |
| February | Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock · Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Raja Ampat · Koh Tao |
| March | Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock · Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Raja Ampat · Koh Tao |
| April | Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock · Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Raja Ampat · Koh Tao |
| May | Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock · Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Raja Ampat · Koh Tao |
| June | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Raja Ampat · Koh Tao |
| July | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Raja Ampat · Koh Tao |
| August | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Raja Ampat · Koh Tao |
| September | Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Raja Ampat · Koh Tao |
| October | Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock · Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Raja Ampat · Koh Tao |
| November | Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock · Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Raja Ampat · Koh Tao |
| December | Similan Islands & Richelieu Rock · Cairns & the Ribbon Reefs · Raja Ampat · Koh Tao |
Entendendo-os
Habitat: Sandy patches beside coral reefs; rests on the bottom by day facing into current, hunts the reef at night
Distribuição: Tropical Indo-Pacific from East Africa and the Red Sea through Southeast Asia to northern Australia and the western Pacific
Comportamento: A gentle, torpid daytime resident, propped on its pectorals on sand with its ridged, spotted body in plain view. Adults wear leopard spots but hatch as striped 'zebras', the source of the naming muddle between Indo-Pacific 'leopard' usage and Australia's 'zebra shark'. Swims with an eel-like wriggle when disturbed.
Dieta: Mollusks, crustaceans, small fish, and sea snakes, extracted from crevices with a flexible, wriggling body
Tamanho: normalmente cerca de 2.0 m; documentado até 2.5 m (total length, nearly half of it a long, low tail).
Como se comportar perto de um
Approach a resting shark low and from the front-side, stop outside touching distance, and leave before it bolts. Repeated flushing burns the animal's energy and empties the site for everyone after you.
Conservação
Endangered: inshore gillnetting has emptied much of Southeast Asia's habitat. A coalition of aquariums and scientists is now rewilding captive-bred pups in Raja Ampat, one of the first shark reintroduction programs anywhere.
Pontos mapeados conhecidos por eles
Os locais destacados foram cartografados para esta espécie pelos nossos editores; os números são registos de ocorrência do GBIF num raio de cerca de 5 km do local desde 1990.
Assista
Dos canais oficiais
Wildlife of Monterey | New film in our auditorium
Live Aviary Cam | Monterey Bay Aquarium
Live Aviary Cam | Monterey Bay Aquarium
Os vídeos são ligações incorporadas para os canais dos próprios criadores. Não alojamos nada e creditamos tudo.