Sharks Around The World Part I - Belize

Dedicated to Freddie - Good luck!!

            Graced with glorious coastlines, Belize is a popular tourist destination for many avid divers - especially shark watchers. Numerous shark species visit the waters of Belize seasonally, with certain reef sharks remaining there year round. Caribbean reef and blacktip sharks (the latter not to be confused with blacktip reef sharks) patrol the sandbanks by day and rule the water at night, scouring the reef and the outlying Belize Fan for prey. Whale sharks migrate annually to the coast of Belize, making a perfect attraction for snorkelers, while bull sharks and tiger sharks stalk the seabed.

            Alike to many other coastal reefs, the Belize Fan plays host to the annual mating of pelagic fish (fish that normally live in the ocean). This natural phenomenon attracts whale sharks in their dozens, who come to feed on the fish eggs as well as the plankton rich water. Bull and tiger sharks, meanwhile, prefer to feast on the fish themselves. Cubera snapper fish spawn in immense balls, with tens of thousands of fish mating at the same time. Working in tandem with others of their species, bull and tiger sharks corner the fish, surrounding them from all angles, before darting into the ball for a mouthful of fish.

Cubera snapper fish mate
in large balls.

            Of the three reefs on the Belize Fan, Turneffe Atoll is by far the most diverse. Aside from the iconic coral reefs, which teem with marine life, there are also vast planes of sea grass, which are a favoured feeding ground for manatees and sea cows, and interminable mangrove swamps, which play host to many young and adolescent fish who have yet to emerge onto the reef.

A lemon shark leaves the mangroves
of Turneffe Atoll.

            Amidst the diverse life of the mangrove swamps, lemon shark pups lurk, honing their hunting skills as they grow. These shallow waters are ideal for the pups to be born in (lemon sharks, amongst others, give birth to live young rather than laying eggs), as larger sharks are unable to enter them and feast upon the new-born pups living there.

            Tiger sharks, one of the most feared shark species, inhabit the waters of Belize year-round, preying on the constant population of hawksbill turtles in the area. Belize is one of many turtle nesting grounds in the Caribbean, making it an ideal home for predatory sharks. As both the turtles and the sharks grow more endangered, however, the populations of both have decreased, leaving a gaping vacuum in the marine ecosystem.

A diver swims alongside a whale shark
at the Belize Fan.

The Whitetip Reef Shark

  Predominantly inhabiting the Indian and Pacific Oceans, especially the Great Barrier Reef, where it is one of the most common sharks, whitetip reef sharks could be referred to as the wolves of the sea - dominating the ocean at night and swarming across reefs in their hundreds.

  Small and slow, whitetip reef sharks make for good aquarium exhibits and are a great attraction for divers in the wild. Although they are generally passive, these reef sharks have been known to attack spear-fishermen whilst trying to steal their catch. Numerous divers have been injured in the feeding frenzies that ensue, although these well-publicised events are few and far between.

  Dwelling in caves for the most part of the time, whitetips come to life at night as they prowl their reef-homes in the dark - preying on any unfortunate fish or crustacean they come across. With slender, cartilaginous bodies, they can easily press themselves into crevices or caves in search of food. Scavengers by nature, some whitetip reef sharks - most notably those of Hawaii - have learned to follow seals in order to steal their hard-earned meals. Others have developed the bait of waiting by reef drop-offs and catching the remains of fish,

Whitetip reef sharks rarely grow
to two metres in length.

which float in with the tide.

  A typical behaviour of reef sharks, whitetips often frequent cleaning stations on their reef, where cleaner wrasse and small fish feed on the many parasites sharks are known to suffer from. Copepods often attach themselves to whitetips in order to feed on their flesh.

  Their are, however, some more fearsome predators to the whitetip reef shark. Around America and Mexico, tiger sharks frequently kill whitetips for their meat, while silvertip sharks in Australia will attack any creature in order to defend their territory. Astonishingly, the remains of full grown whitetip reef sharks have been discovered in the stomachs of giant groupers. These gargantuan fish often inhabit the wreckages of boats and aeroplanes near to reefs and are easily capable of swallowing a shark whole. Due to their rarity, however, such an occurrence is not common and has only been witnessed a few times.

  Rarely leaving the reef they were born at, whitetip reef sharks have come to symbolise fidelity to the natives of many Pacific islands. This is generally attributed to their fear of the predators around their reefs, rather than to the sharks being instinctively territorial, as they are social creatures and often rest in large groups during the day.

  Sadly, whitetip numbers have declined in recent years due to the numerous fisheries hunting them for the hide, meat and liver oil. The destruction of their restricted reef-habitat has also played a large role in this, reducing their numbers abhorrently. Slow reproducers, it is quite possible that whitetips will be hunted to extinction in certain areas before they are able to repopulate.

A juvenile whitetip reef shark on the Great Barrier Reef. Note the distinctive
white fin and tail tips.

Tiger Shark

The tiger shark is a known man-killer and is one of the biggest sharks in the sea. This fierce predator will eat anything it can get its teeth into : squid, dolphins, turtles, whales, tuna, mackerel, cod, lobsters, seals, porpoises, ... well you get the picture, they eat a lot!! Tiger sharks have even been known to eat rubbish floating on the surface and even bite holes in the back of small boats. If you have a weak stomach or feel sick at the thought of violence TURN AWAY NOW and do not read the words in red, if your still reading, this is one of the most horrible things you will ever hear: tiger sharks eat their own brothers and sisters...whilst still inside their mother!! This is a common thing for all sharks to do but it's pretty gruesome all the same. Tiger sharks are very clever for a non-human species, they gather at albatross nesting places every July and wait for the young seabirds to attempt to fly. The unsuccessful ones who fall in the water never get another chance to try it because they are immediately gobbled up by hungry tiger sharks who had been waiting eagerly in the shallows.
 Tiger sharks have stripes like those of a tiger when they are young (except they are grey-not white!!) but as they become older the stripes fade and people mistake them for another ferocious hunter; the great white.

A young tiger shark hunting for food.

An adult tiger shark. Note the loss of stripes.