About Us
Our Safari Camp, roamed by wild giant tortoises and bordering the Galapagos National Park, is small by design and exclusive by definition. We design tailor-made safaris to meet incredible Galapagos wildlife.
Whitetip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus)
Also known as the blunthead shark, the whitetip reef shark is the most common shark species in the Galapagos Islands. Recognized by the distinctive white tips on its fins, it is small to medium in size and has a noticeably slender body, grey to brownish above and white or greyish below.
Behavior and Characteristics
Compared to other shark species, the whitetip reef shark is relatively sluggish. During the day, it rests in groups inside caves or on sandy bottoms, often stacking on top of one another. Individuals typically return to the same resting spots every day, sometimes for years. At night or under calm waters, they become active, gliding through reefs to hunt small fish and other marine creatures.
Despite their proximity to divers and snorkelers, whitetip reef sharks are docile and show little evidence of aggression. They are curious but not considered a threat to humans, (unless, of course, provoked or threatened – fair enough!)
Reproduction
The whitetip reef shark is one of the few shark species observed mating in the wild. Females give birth to between one and five pups, each about half a metre long. The young are born fully independent, with no parental care required, and can immediately seek shelter among the reef to avoid predators.
Conservation
Outside the Galapagos, whitetip reef shark populations are declining due to fishing pressures. Within the Galapagos Marine Reserve, however, they benefit from legal protection that prohibits their capture. They have no natural predators within the archipelago.
Several conservation initiatives are helping to safeguard the region’s shark populations, including the establishment of a shark sanctuary around Darwin and Wolf Islands and international collaborations to monitor shark nurseries using drone and tagging surveys. These efforts aim to reduce the impact of human activity on sharks throughout their life cycle and promote greater protection for migratory species across the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
In 2022, the whitetip reef shark was included among 54 requiem shark species given new international trade protections under CITES, marking a significant step toward ensuring their survival.
Where to See Them
On our Safaris, whitetip reef sharks are often encountered while snorkeling or scuba-diving. They have a habit of returning to the same caves each day, which allows our guides to locate them reliably.
Although they can dive to over 300 metres, they are usually found in shallower waters of up to 40 metres.
