Caribbean Reef Shark

Shark Database | Ground Sharks - Carcharhiniformes | Caribbean Reef Shark

About the Caribbean Reef Shark

The Caribbean reef shark is commonly found close to the bottom of shallow waters. As it name indicates, this shark is found in reefs, less than 30m deep. It’s native to the Western Atlantic in areas like Florida and southern Brazil as well as the the northern Gulf of Mexico and the Antilles.

Biology and Behaviour:

The Caribbean reef shark is a large grey shark with a short blunt snout. The biggest Caribbean reef shark ever reported was 3 m, but despite its size the it mostly feeds on small bony fish.

This species is a shallow water shark can dive up to 65 m, but it’s usually found in depths of 1 to 35m.

Reproduction:

Caribbean reef shark give birth to live young. The size of the young at birth is about 73 cm or less in length. The Caribbean reef shark reaches sexual maturity at a range of 152 to 168 cm in length.

Conservation: The species is caught as bycatch by commercial and artisanal fisheries. They also reproduce very slowly, which means it’s difficult for them to rebound if overfished. They’re considered a near threatened species.

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