Sharks
Silky Shark
Carcharhinus falciformis · Cartilaginous fish — family Carcharhinidae
Silkies are the open ocean's welcoming committee. Hang beneath a liveaboard at Daedalus or in Cuba's Jardines de la Reina and they appear from nowhere — slender, bronze-backed sharks with long tail lobes, carving smooth circles a fin's length away. Few species close distance so readily, and few wear their curiosity so plainly; a safety stop can turn into twenty minutes of orbiting escort. They are also among the most heavily fished sharks on Earth, hauled up in vast numbers on tuna longlines and purse seines, which makes the confident crowds at protected seamounts feel like dispatches from an older ocean.
Waar en wanneer je er een kunt zien
"Resident" betekent dat je ze bij de meeste duiken op die bestemming tegenkomt; "seizoensgebonden" betekent betrouwbaar aanwezig in de vermelde maanden; al het andere is een bonus, geen garantie.
| Bestemming | Betrouwbaarheid | Maanden | Notities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cocos IslandCosta Rica | Resident — seen on most dives | Het hele jaar door | |
| Socorro & the RevillagigedosMexico | Resident — seen on most dives | Het hele jaar door | |
| Jardines de la ReinaCuba | Resident — seen on most dives | Het hele jaar door | |
| MalpeloColombia | Resident — seen on most dives | Het hele jaar door | |
| Brothers, Daedalus & St John'sEgypt | Seasonal — reliable in season | May–Oct |
Beste maand, in één oogopslag
Ze begrijpen
Habitat: Warm open ocean over deep water; gathers around seamounts, offshore reefs, drifting objects, and anchored boats
Verspreidingsgebied: Circumtropical — one of the most abundant large sharks of the world's warm offshore waters, from the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific to the Red Sea and central Pacific
Gedrag: Fast, sleek, and inquisitive, named for the fine, smooth texture of its skin. Silkies materialize around boats and safety stops in open water, circling divers closely and persistently, especially toward dusk. Around baitballs they switch to quick, slashing runs.
Dieet: Schooling fish such as tuna and mackerel, plus squid; often follows baitballs and tuna schools
Grootte: doorgaans rond 2.2 m; gedocumenteerd tot 3.3 m (total length).
Hoe je je ertegenover gedraagt
Keep the group compact during drifting safety stops, avoid low-light surface swims where silkies are working bait, and never spearfish from a liveaboard mooring they patrol.
Behoud
Vulnerable and declining — silkies are the most common shark in the global fin trade and dominate tuna-fishery bycatch. CITES Appendix II listing now regulates international trade.
Gekende duiksites waar je ze tegenkomt
Bekijk
Via de officiële kanalen
Best Places to Dive with Whale Sharks
Outrageously Tiny Fish
Sink or Swim? with Monét X Change | Monterey Bay Aquarium
Video's zijn ingesloten links naar de kanalen van de makers zelf — wij hosten niets en vermelden altijd de bron.