Blacktip sharks have a blueish-grey or brownish color on their bodies, white underneath, and a white stripe across their sides. They get their names from the triangular black tip on their dorsal fin, which sticks out of water; however, all of their fins except the pelvic one is usually black tipped too.

Blacktip sharks have five pairs of gill slits, which are longer than similar requiem shark species. They need to swim constantly since water only enters the gills while the sharks are swimming. In addition, blacktip sharks don’t have a swim bladder, so they need to keep moving to prevent sinking.

Blacktip sharks can be found in the tropical and subtropical waters throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. They are frequently seen by divers as they prefer shallow waters, often less than 50 feet! However, some blacktip sharks can be found more than 200 feet underwater over continental and insular shelves.

90% of the blacktip shark’s diet is composed of a variety of fish, while the rest includes crustaceans, octopuses, stingrays, and more. They usually hunt during dusk and dawn and may experience a feeding frenzy if an excess of fish is discovered. Blacktip sharks can sometimes be seen leaping out of the water and spinning in the air; scientists believe this may help with catching fish close to the surface. They will attack humans, both provoked and unprovoked; however, there has never been a fatality reported.

Mating season for blacktip sharks varies geographically, but most will usually give birth in nurseries near the coast where there are fewer predators. Gestation period of females is 10-14 months allowing the babies to develop inside the mother resulting in two to seven pups via live birth. The pups are born at a length averaging two feet long. Though adult blacktip sharks can disperse over long distances, they will return to the same nurseries to give birth.

The blacktip shark is a type of requiem shark, which includes any shark that is migratory, has live-births, and inhabits warm waters.

By basic morphology and behavior, scientists thought blacktip sharks were related to the graceful shark and the spinner shark. Yet, recent DNA evidence has pointed to the blacknose shark as being a closer relative to the blacktip.

Besides their usual swimming trips, blacktip sharks will migrate hundreds of miles every year to avoid the cold weather. In the US, they are documented in North Carolina in the summer and Florida in the winter.