Blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus)
Timid and skittish indeed.
Having a habitat ranging the tropical coral reefs of the Indian and the Pacific Oceans, the blacktip reef shark is easily recognizable by the prominent black tips that are found on the first dorsal fin and the tail fin.
Blacktip reef sharks have extremely small home ranges and can remain within the same local area for up to several years at a time.
The blacktip reef shark’s diet includes small bony fishes (mostly mullets), cephalopods, and crustaceans, and have even been known to feed on sea snakes and seabirds.
Because of the blacktip reef shark’s timid demeanor, they are easily frightened away by swimmers, in which submerged swimmers are less likely to get bitten by blacktip reef sharks other than people wading through shallow water are at more risk of having their legs being mistakenly bitten by them.
Blacktip reef sharks are assessed as near threatened by the IUCN.