Requiem sharks

Blacktip shark

Carcharhinus limbatus

A streamlined coastal shark named for the dark markings commonly visible on several fins.

CoastalEstuaryMigratory

View recent sightings

1 observationin our coverage data · past 365 days

Typical sizeAbout 5 ft

MaximumAbout 8 ft

Age & growthUp to about 10 years in studied populations

Family size comparisonAbout 8 ft maximum

Dad, Daughter, Son & Mom

Family of fourBlacktip shark · About 8 ft

Every figure uses the same scale. The shark image is shown at the species’ published maximum length; individual animals vary.

Habitat

Inshore and offshore coastal water, bays, estuaries, and island shelves.

Geographic range

Warm-temperate and tropical coastal waters worldwide, including the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

Depth

Nearshore to offshore shelf waters

Diet

Schooling fish such as menhaden, mullet, herring, and sardines, plus squid and other small marine animals.

How to recognize it

Pointed snout, tall first dorsal fin, white flank band, and dark fin tips; the anal fin is usually unmarked.

Reproduction

Live-bearing; females use shallow estuarine nursery grounds and commonly deliver 4–11 pups.

Species facts

Did you know?

Blacktips sometimes leap from the water while feeding.

Young sharks use shallow coastal nursery areas during their early years.

Awareness, not a live shark tracker.An observation is a report from a past time and place—not a prediction of where an animal is now. Species facts do not establish the size, age, behavior, or current location of the observed animal.