Maldivian reef sharks are not at all aggressive towards snorkellers
or divers. The very few people who have been bitten by sharks here are
divers involved in shark feeding, and fishermen who are careless in
landing sharks that they have caught. Of the forty or so species of
shark that have been recorded from the Maldives so far, the most
familiar is the Blacktip Reef Shark. Juveniles occur in shallow water
near island beaches, where they avoid larger, deeper-swimming sharks
that might eat them. As a result this species is seen far more often
by sunbathers than by divers or snorkellers. In contrast, the Whitetip
Reef Shark might be seen on almost any dive or snorkel and is probably
the most widespread shark species on Maldivian reefs. The other common
species is the Grey Reef Shark, which occurs regularly at particular
channel entrances and current-swept reefs. Getting into position at
the upstream end of such dive sites is sometimes a bit of a challenge,
but always rewarding.
* In this post I displayed two Whale Sharks (Rhincodon typus,
Fehurihi in Dhivehi. The largest fish in the World, this is a
harmless plankton feeder) photo those are taken in the Maldives.
