Body shape
Stocky body typical of a large requiem shark.
Oceanic Whitetip Shark
Carcharhinus longimanus
A large pelagic requiem shark with elongated rounded fins tipped in white, found in tropical and warm temperate seas.
Species Guide
What to know about oceanic whitetip sharks
A clean field guide focused on habitat, identification, behavior, and conservation context without burying the useful parts.
The oceanic whitetip shark is a large requiem shark inhabiting the pelagic zone of tropical and warm temperate seas. It has a stocky body and distinctive elongated, rounded fins with white tips. The species is typically solitary but may gather in large numbers where food is concentrated. It is slow-moving yet opportunistic and has a reputation for aggressive behavior. Its diet is composed mainly of bony fish and cephalopods. Females give live birth. The IUCN Red List classifies the oceanic whitetip shark as Critically Endangered; populations have been reported to decline steeply due to mounting fishing pressure and harvest for fins and meat.
Populations have fallen steeply in recent studies as the species faces mounting fishing pressure and is harvested for its fins and meat across its range.
Pelagic (open ocean) species; typically slow-moving and solitary but may gather in large numbers where food is concentrated; described as opportunistic and aggressive.
The strongest linked planning options currently surface around destinations such as Marsa Alam (Abu Dabbab and Elphinstone), Fernando de Noronha, Fuvahmulah and countries such as Egypt, Japan, Brazil for divers building trips around oceanic whitetip sharks.
