Silvertip shark - a ferocious apex predator

The silvertip shark is a species of requiem shark found in the tropical waters of the Indian, Pacific, and possibly Atlantic oceans.

It normally stalks islands and coral reefs at depths of up to 1km.

While silvertips don’t grow longer than about 3 meters, they’re aggressive predators and stronger than other requiem sharks - preying on bony fish, small sharks, and cephalopods like squid.

Like other requiem sharks, the silvertip shark is viviparous - giving birth to litters of between 1-11 baby sharks in summer, rather than laying eggs like most fishes.

They’re considered dangerous to humans because they can approach divers and often get quite close.

Silvertips are threatened by industrial fishing, being valued for their meat, fins, and skin, cartilage, jaws, and teeth. Fishing has led to a decrease in silvertip populations, and certain local populations around the world have already disappeared.

The species is listed as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The specimen's taxidermy mount was made by the museum’s taxidermists from sharks supplied by the “RIO” trade center Oceanarium.

Taxidermist: V. Kubanina, Keeper: D. Miloserdov, Scanning by: A. Akhtamzyan