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 Whale Shark

Whale sharks are the biggest fish in the sea. They are gentle giants and will happily allow divers to swim with them. Yet if a diver overdoes it and tries to ride on a whale shark, then the whale shark will feel harassed and may die.  Whale sharks are found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans at about 5m to 150m below the surface. If you have a weak stomach TURN AWAY NOW if you are still reading, here is a gruesome fact: if a boat drives too near a whale shark, it will often amputate it's dorsal fin and the tip of it's tail.  Horrible isn't it? Well unfortunately, this happens, but only very rarely. 

Amazingly whales sharks are the biggest fish in the world yet eat the smallest things. Whale sharks feed on plankton and shrimps. But, because of this, they do not keep well in captivity as plankton is expensive to buy and the shark itself would need a large aquarium. What is more, whale sharks are social creatures and will want a friend. Only a select few aquariums in Australia and America can afford to keep them. 

Each year, whale sharks arrive at Ningaloo reef in Australia for the coral spawning. During April each year, the coral at Ningaloo reef releases its' seeds at the same time, so that more of them get to grow. Plankton and shrimps arrive to eat the seeds and, in turn, the whale sharks arrive to eat them. It is one of the most amazing and mysterious undersea happenings.                                                          

A whale shark that has had it's fins cut off by a boat propellor.

A whale shark majestically drifting over a peaceful reef.