Whitetip Reef Shark
(Triaenodon obesus)
Habitat: Coral Reefs |
Exhibit
Gallery: Sharks: Pacific Islands
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| Another common tropical reef shark. Grows to about six feet in length. Sometimes hunts at the surface, but is usually found in deeper waters near the bottom. Whitetips eat bony fishes and invertebrates—octopus is a favorite—and will sometimes pursue prey into tight spots, jamming their heads into crevices and thrashing about until they capture the victim. |
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| Unknown. Whitetips are fished throughout the Indo-Pacific, mostly for their meat and liver; the latter can be toxic to humans. |
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| Can be curious toward people, but not considered dangerous. |
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| Sleeps during the day in caves, sometimes stacked on top of each other like logs. Hunts at night but returns to the same cave to sleep, and often uses the same cave for many years. |
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