The picture shows a large shark with a broad, rounded snout and long pectoral fins swimming close to the camera. Its dorsal fin and pectoral fins are tipped with white, which is how the species gets its name. The shark is swimming calmly in clear, deep blue water. Below it, a freediver with fins, a wetsuit, and a large underwater camera rig is capturing the moment. The diver looks tiny compared to the shark, emphasizing its size and presence in the open ocean. Sunlight filters down from the surface, adding shimmer to the shark’s sleek body. About the Oceanic Whitetip Shark • The oceanic whitetip is a powerful pelagic predator, once considered one of the most common large sharks in the open ocean. • It is known for its long, rounded fins tipped with white, making it easy to identify. • Historically, this shark was incredibly abundant—in the 1960s and 70s, populations were estimated in the tens of millions worldwide. • Due to overfishing and especially the demand for shark fins, populations have suffered catastrophic collapse. • Today, their numbers have declined by more than 90–95% in many regions. In the northwest Atlantic, studies estimate the population is now less than 1% of what it was in the mid-20th century. • The IUCN Red List now classifies the species as Critically Endangered.
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Cat Island 2014
IUCN Red List Critically Endangered
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