Last Update : Thursday 9 August, 2001 10:19 PM
Last Update : Thursday 9 August, 2001 10:19 PM |
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SILVER TIP SHARK…GENTLEMAN OF THE BLUE WORLD
Shark
Giant Shark
For the two aforementioned sharks, you might suspect the identification after looking at their photograph, because they look different from sharks in our imagination. For this one, silver tip shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus ) you would say that he is genuine. Either his fins or tail or swimming poise is so really like a shark.
From the look that is so much like shark in our imagination, many people might like to know how we distinguish him from others. The answer is easy, just notice the fins. The tip of all fins is white, either dorsal fin or pelvic fin or caudal fin. Some have white band at the last part of dorsal fin as well. This is different from white fin shark who has white spot at the tip of dorsal fin and caudal fin.
The silver tip is medium size shark. The adult is 3 meters long. The newly born is about 50-80 centimeters long. There are about 5 – 6 in the same litter. The newly born hunts in shallow water area. The grown up goes to the deep, approximately 40 meters or more. There was a report that they could go down as deep as 400 meters. This is why we hardly find silver tip shark around the islands near the Thai shore. Mostly we find them at Similan Islands, Tachai Islands or rock piles away from the shore.
One of the differences between silver tip shark and the two aforementioned sharks is that silver tip does not like to lie on the seabed. They swim all the time. Their food is all kinds of fish, either fish in the middle of the water or near the seabed. They can eat from tuna fish to parrot fish. Some time there is nothing to eat they can eat globe fish or octopus for a change.
Having slit the stomach of a shark caught by one fishing boat, we found that 70% of his food was small fishes ranging from soles to flying fish, 10% was eagle ray, 10% was octopus and the other 10% were digested food. The information confirmed that this kind of fish eats every thing, be it seafloor animal or water surface animal. The important thing is his speed. Try to imagine the speed that can eat flying fish, which animal in the sea would be able to escape.
Silver tip shark is domicile. Foreign scientist had marked one and followed him. They found that this type of shark looks for food in the area of 2 to 5 square kilometers from the place found. This is different from some type like blue shark. One was tagged in Tasmania Island and later found around Java Island, several thousand miles from the original base.
Now you might like to know why I call him a gentleman, not because he likes to please lady sharks. From my own experience witnessing silver tip sharks swimming freely in the sea, witnessing them being fed, I agree with most divers; their grand look, their graceful swimming style and their dignified eating manner are so elegant.
Many types of shark like black whaler or white fin shark swim away when they meet man. Many of them, like leopard shark or nurse shark, are not interested in anything except sleeping. But silver tip shark does not behave that way. They would swim around at a certain distance. Imagine how you feel if you are in the water and there is a shark swimming in circle around you. Several girls might scream, reading to this point. But for us divers, it is satisfaction, excitement and always beckons us back to the blue world.
Up to this point, many of you might not be able to wait to see the gentlemen of sea. Probability to go to the jungle, getting excited by looking around for tigers, has gone from Thailand long time ago. But you still have an opportunity to see sharks swimming around you. First thing to do is obtaining a piggy bank of your own. Then contact GeoGang to get a diving lesson with khun ʡžÃó. Then go diving. If you have made tens of dives and have not met one yet, I would like to recommend a larger piggy bank plus a litter of piglets. Then contact Dive Master Co., Ltd., to go diving in the Burmese Sea. I guarantee that you will meet the silver tips surely, whether it be plenty or few of them depends on your luck. I have been there and returned, dreaming of those silver tips at Silvertip Bank. Maybe I will meet you on the boat, who knows? I am busily feeding my piggy bank too.
For those of you who wonder if they would attack when you meet them, I would like to refer to the available information, which indicate that this type of shark is not aggressive except during the feeding frenzy. In that time, the shark would not separate you from the fish. But probability for such incidents to occur is very slim. According to my research, there had only been two such occasions, one in Micronesia and the other in New Guinea. Hoping that the third time does not occur in Thailand.
One thing that makes silver tip sharks different from the two aforementioned sharks is its noise sensitivity. The said noise is usually low-tone like boat-engine noise. Please do not be surprised why silver tip sharks around Similan Island do not pop out after hearing boat-engine noise. They have already been used to it. The incident will occur in remote islands where boat scarcely visits.
Other thing that attracts silver tip sharks is diver’s equipment. Some wear orange color fins, bright yellow wet suit and red color lead with patterns. Silver tip sharks would like that very much. So, if you swim along and feel that some thing is swimming after you; do not be surprised if you turn around and find that there is a silver tip shark nibbling at your orange color fin. I have warned you!
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