Caribbean Reef Sharks

Name: Caribbean Reef Shark
Scientific Name: Carcharhinus perezii
Length: Between 6 and 8 feet long
Weight: About 154 pounds

 Caribbean Reef Sharks are usually found in more shallow waters. However, they've been known to dive down to great depths. 

Caribbean Reef Sharks generally have shorter, more broad, rounded snouts. Their eyes are larger, circular, and have a protective third eyelid. Their gill slits are longer than those of most other sharks.

Despite how abundant they are in certain areas, Caribbean Reef Sharks are actually on of the least studied sharks out there. Although they're not being studied as much, we still know they are night feeders (like most sharks) and so they're more active at night.

Caribbean Reef Sharks are the only actively living sharks that have been seen resting motionless on the more shallow ocean surfaces near caves. This is odd because sharks always need to be moving so they can breathe. That's why when people fish for sharks, fin them, and throw them back into the ocean, they die. Without their fins they can't move. If they can't move then they can't breathe. As to why the Caribbean Reef Sharks have been spotted hat way, I have no clue. Researchers are still set out to find why.

Male Caribbean Reef Sharks- unlike most sharks-reach sexual maturity before the female Caribbean Reef Sharks. The males reach their sexual maturity when they're about 5 feet long. Females, however, reach their sexual maturity when they reach between 6 and 9 feet in length.


These sharks are rather shy, or indifferent if you will, around divers. However, in cases where food is involved, they're large enough to propose a potential threat. Also, these sharks have been blamed for few attacks on man, none of which were fatal.


In some areas around the world, you may be able to go on a "shark feed." A "shark feed" is where you can strap on your scuba gear and go diving with a group of other certified divers (and a guide) and feed these specific types of sharks. I watched an episode of shark week where this happened. A man and a guide went down onto an old wreck and started feeding some sharks during the day and then again at night to determine how much more aggressive they were to get their food. As I mentioned earlier this type of shark is a night feeder, however, they were just as aggressive during the day as they were at night.


This is the little bit I know about the Caribbean Reef Sharks. Thanks for reading :)


Image courtesy of oceana.org