Silvertip Reef Shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus)

Poised and alert, the silvertip reef shark moves with smooth precision along the reef’s edge. Its fins flash silver in the filtered light — a quiet signal of motion and control — as it patrols the boundary between open water and coral sanctuary.

Scientific Snapshot

A silvertip reef shark swimming gracefully along a coral slope, its shining fins catching the sunlight in clear tropical water.

Scientific Name: Carcharhinus albimarginatus

Common Names: Silvertip shark, silvertip reef shark

Average Size: Typically 2.5 to 3 meters (8–10 feet)

Habitat: Outer reef slopes, drop-offs, and atolls in tropical seas

Diet: Reef fish, rays, and smaller sharks

Conservation Status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)

Range: Indo-Pacific region — from the Red Sea to French Polynesia

From the Field

The story…

Learn More