Grey Reef Shark

Fascinating facts about the Grey Reef Shark

• Most grey reef sharks stay under 1.9 m (6.2 ft), but the biggest recorded individual stretched to 2.6 m (8.5 ft) and tipped the scales at 33.7 kg (74 lb). That size, yet it packs the power of a fast-swimming predator that can dominate reef communities.
• A single grey reef shark typically roams an area of about 0.8 km² (0.31 mi²), roughly the size of a large city park. Within this compact home range the shark repeatedly returns to the same drop-off, forming daytime groups of five to twenty before scattering at night to hunt.
• Grey reef sharks were the first sharks documented performing a threat display, a hunched posture, dropped pectoral fins, and exaggerated side-to-side swimming. When divers get too close, the shark can launch an attack from just 6 m (20 ft) away, covering that distance in a third of a second. This rapid, high-impact response shows why respecting their personal space is crucial; a brief misstep can trigger a bite capable of damaging equipment.
• Grey reef sharks give birth to just one to six pups every other year, after a gestation that can last 9 to 14 months. Females mature at about seven years and can live at least 25 years, meaning each generation takes decades to replace itself. This slow, low-output life history makes the species highly vulnerable to over-fishing, because populations rebound only after many years of protection.
• The IUCN now lists the grey reef shark as endangered after surveys showed dramatic drops: numbers in the Chagos Archipelago fell to just 14 % of 1970s levels by 1996, and on the Great Barrier Reef fishing zones the population was 97 % lower than in no-entry zones. Such steep declines illustrate how quickly a once-common reef predator can disappear, warning that without strong protection the species could vanish from most reefs within decades.

Sources

Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.

• Wikipedia

At a glance

About the Grey Reef Shark

In the vibrant, sun-drenched waters of the coral reef, the grey reef shark glides with effortless precision, its sleek, streamlined body weaving through the labyrinthine passages with a silent, ghostly ease. As it moves, its piercing gaze sweeps the seafloor, ever vigilant for the telltale flicker of a potential meal, its remarkable ability to navigate this complex, three-dimensional world a testament to its enduring presence in these delicate ecosystems. With its population dwindling, this majestic predator now finds itself on the precipice of vulnerability, its very existence a poignant reminder of the fragility of the ocean's grand tapestry.

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