Page 160 - (DK) Super Shark Encyclopedia: And Other Creatures of the Deep

HOME LOVER BLACK-MARKED SHARK
The bold, black markings on
the tip of its tail and fins make
this shark one of the most
BLACKTIP distinctive reef sharks. Its dorsal
fin is often seen sticking up out
REEF SHARK of the water.

A tropical coral reef is so packed with life that a
hungry shark does not have to go far in its search for
a meal. The blacktip reef shark is a common predator
on the reefs of tropical Asia and Australasia—but it sticks
to hunting on a patch that is sometimes only twice the
area of a soccer field. It can stay near its favorite reef for
years on end. Only pregnant females move away from
the reef when they are about to give birth.

AT A GLANCE

• SIZE 3¼–6½ ft (1–2 m) long
• HABITAT Shallow tropical ocean
waters, especially on coral reefs
• LOCATION Indian Ocean and western
Pacific Ocean
• DIET Fish, squid, shrimp, and snails

STATS AND FACTS

AVERAGE HOME RANGE
Young blacktip reef
sq miles 0.1 0.2
sharks stay in shallow
lagoons but move into
sq km 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
deeper waters as they
0.08–0.2 sq miles grow older. Even as
(0.3–0.7 sq km)
adults, they spend
AREA OF HUNTING PATCH most of their time
patrolling a territory
sq miles 0.1 0.2 that is a hundred
times smaller than the
sq km 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 entire reef, following
0.003–0.03 sq miles (0.009–0.13 sq km) their prey from one
tiny hunting patch
SWIMMING DEPTH to another.
0–245 ft/0–75 m (adults)
ft 100 200
m 20 40 60 80
0–9¾ ft/0–3 m (young)

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