Sharks! For decades, popular media inspired terror in the hearts of beachgoers, swimmers, and divers everywhere. Many of us have seen the JAWS movies, which featured a massive man eating shark preying upon hapless water sports enthusiasts, and which might have made us think twice about diving with large predators. In truth, most of the world’s sharks are much more frightened of us than we ought to be of them, and while it is wise to give these animals plenty of room as you dive, it is also absolutely fascinating to watch them. Depending upon where you dive, you might encounter a few different shark species. Let’s take a look at some of the most common.
Black Tip Reef Sharks
Also known as Blacktip Reef Sharks, these animals have long, sleek bodies with pronounced black tips on their fins and tails. Beautifully elegant in appearance, they are among the most abundant of all reef sharks and can be found along sandy flats and reef ledges. Territorial sharks that often prefer to inhabit the same area for years at a time, they tend to be somewhat skittish around people but will bite if threatened. Found mainly in shallow tropical and sub-tropical Indo-Pacific near shore habitats, they prefer to swim in water just a few meters deep with their dorsal fins often exposed. They are rarely over five feet long and are listed as a Near Threatened species on IUCN’s red list.
White Tip Reef Sharks
Like their close relatives, white tip reef sharks are requiem sharks. They are mainly distributed throughout Indo-Pacific coral reef habitats, and enjoy hiding beneath ledges and inside caves. As many sharks do, they emerge at night to hunt fish, and have gained some notoriety for stealing catches from spear fishermen. Not normally an aggressive species, and somewhat shy, these sharks are grey with pronounced white tips at the edges of their fins and tails. These sharks rarely grow to be more than about five feet long.
Grey Reef Sharks
Found in habitats as far west as South Africa and as far east as Easter Island, these sharks tend to be between 5 and 8 feet long, with most adults averaging six feet in length. More aggressive than white tip and black tip reef sharks, they will attack if cornered; however, they normally display a pronounced threat posture prior to biting, swaying back and forth with pectoral fins dropped to the sides, with a hunched profile. Usually found in shallow coastal waters no deeper than sixty meters, they are closely related to silvertip reef sharks, which are nearly identical in appearance.
Lemon Sharks
Fairly large sharks which can grow to be about 10 feet long, Lemon Sharks are found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters throughout the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of both North and South America, as well as around numerous Pacific Island regions. Yellowish-brown to grey in color, these powerful sharks have a stocky build and tend to come in from deeper regions in order to give birth to pups. Juvenile lemon sharks like reef and mangrove habitats, but tend to move out into deep water once they are large enough to compete; most of the lemon sharks you’ll see while diving will be fairly small. Since the year 1580, 22 Lemon Shark attacks have been logged, but no known deaths have been recorded.
Leopard Sharks
Found along the Pacific coast of North America from Oregon down to Mexico’s Mazatlan region, these sharks are named for their magnificent leopard pattern, which extend from head to tail. Usually maturing at 4 to 5 feet long, these sharks prefer shallow areas and eat mostly invertebrates and a few fish. They are often encountered in tidal flats, reef environments, and kelp forests. Abundant, and listed as a species of Least Concern on IUCN’s conservation list, the species is slow growing and poses no threat to humans.
Nurse Sharks
A very common inshore inhabitant that prefers to lounge in sheltered areas such as alongside wrecks and beside reefs, inside caves, and along ledges during the day, Nurse Sharks are most active once the sun goes down, when they can be seen hunting for crustaceans and invertebrates, stingrays, and fish. Found in tropical and subtropical waters around the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as far north as Rhode Island and as far south as Peru, these sharks grow to be up to about 14 feet long. Although they are docile sharks, they will bite if annoyed.
Basking Sharks
Coastal pelagic sharks found throughout the world’s boreal regions and sometimes entering warmer equatorial waters, Basking Sharks are the second largest shark species, next to whale sharks. Normally encountered in shallow waters, where they feed on plankton, they have been recorded at depths beyond 900 meters. The largest specimen ever captured was over forty feet long; most of the time however, these sharks attain a length of 20-26 feet. No threat to humans, they are threatened by the shark fin and shark oil trade. Its numbers are rapidly declining, and sightings are becoming rarer each year.
Sandbar Sharks
Sometimes referred to as brownskin sharks, Sandbar Sharks are usually about 6 feet long and inhabit tropical to temperate waters worldwide. Often preyed upon by tiger sharks and occasionally eaten by great white sharks as well, these animals are found in waters ranging from deep to shallow, with females coming into very shallow protected areas to give birth to pups. An abundant species at one time, Sandbar sharks are now listed as Vulnerable by IUCN.
Mako Sharks
A species of Mackerel shark found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide, Mako sharks have a silvery blue color and a fairly stout profile. Like great white sharks, they tend to hunt by swimming beneath prey, then lunging up to attack, unseen. Makos have a reputation for biting; while you’ll see them occasionally, keeping a vertical profile so as not to be mistaken for a porpoise can keep you from becoming a victim. Migratory and hot tempered, these sharks have been overfished to the point of vulnerability.
Tiger Sharks
Found in tropical and temperate waters all around the planet, Tiger sharks are solitary and tend to be quite large, growing to a length of about sixteen feet. Often encountered in surprisingly shallow areas from reefs to estuaries, these sharks are normally nocturnal hunters. Prized for their beautiful striped skins, they are sometimes referred to as man-eaters since there are many attacks on humans on record.
Learning about the shark species you might encounter while diving, and understanding the way that they hunt can prevent you from becoming a shark bite victim. Sharks rarely attack divers since we look so strange to them; in fact, it can sometimes be hard to get them to come close enough for good photos. Remember to always respect them in their homes, and you’ll enjoy some incredible and memorable encounters.