Facts about Whitetip Reef Shark

1. 08

   The whitetip reef shark, Triaenodon obesus, is classified as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List due to overfishing and habitat degradation.

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2. 07

   Measuring roughly 1.6 meters in length, the whitetip reef shark ranks among the smallest shark species found in coral reef ecosystems worldwide.

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3. 06

   Female whitetip reef sharks exhibit ovoviviparity, gestating pups internally for approximately 10 to 11 months before live birth.

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4. 05

   Tropical Indo-Pacific coral reefs host whitetip reef sharks that actively hunt during nighttime hours, reversing their daytime resting behavior to feed on small fish and crustaceans.

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5. 04

   At maximum speeds, the whitetip reef shark can accelerate to approximately 11 miles per hour while hunting prey in shallow coral reef environments.

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6. 03

   Litters of whitetip reef sharks typically contain two to five pups, each measuring approximately 16 to 20 centimeters long at birth.

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7. 02

   Whitetip reef sharks possess electroreceptive organs called ampullae of Lorenzini that detect electrical fields as weak as five nanovolts per centimeter.

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8. 01

   During the day, whitetip reef sharks rest motionless on the seafloor for up to 17 hours, entering a state of tonic immobility.

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