Blacktip reef shark: Where It Lives, Map & Facts

Where the blacktip reef shark lives – recorded in 4 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Scientific name	Carcharhinus melanopterus
Group	Sharks
Status	Vulnerable (Wikidata, IUCN category label)
Found in	4 countries
Continents	Africa, Oceania
Class	Cartilaginous fish
Order	Carcharhiniformes
Family	Carcharhinidae

Where does the blacktip reef shark live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the blacktip reef shark in 4 countries and territories across Africa and Oceania. Wikidata gives its range as: New Guinea.

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

Is the blacktip reef shark endangered?

The blacktip reef shark’s conservation status recorded in Wikidata is “Vulnerable” (an IUCN Red List category label). Source: Wikidata.

What kind of animal is the blacktip reef shark?

The blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) is a cartilaginous fish in the order Carcharhiniformes and the family Carcharhinidae, genus Carcharhinus. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the blacktip reef shark

The blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, which can be easily identified by the prominent black tips on its fins (especially on the first dorsal fin and its caudal fin). Among the most abundant sharks inhabiting the tropical coral reefs of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, this species prefers shallow, inshore waters. Its exposed first dorsal fin is a common sight in the region. The blacktip reef shark is usually found over reef ledges and sandy flats, though it has also been known to enter brackish and freshwater environments. It typically attains a length of 1.6 m (5.2 ft). Like other sharks, the females are larger than the males.

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Blacktip reef shark (revision 1379548044), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q726384 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).