Reef shark species (blacktip, whitetip)

Reef sharks are small, predatory fish that live near coral structures. They include the blacktip reef shark and the whitetip reef shark. You will see them often in places like Komodo or Cebu. These sharks usually stay at depths between 5 m and 30 m because they prefer shallow reef edges. While they look scary, they rarely approach divers unless you act aggressively. I once saw a group of five blacktips near a wreck in Anilao in 2018. They stayed 4 m away from our group while we filmed them. Do not mistake a resting whitetip for a dead fish. They often sleep on the sand during the day so you must watch for their gill movements. Keep your distance to avoid stress.