Sharks!
Every year, Discovery Channel fans count down the days until the coveted SHARK WEEK begins.
Though the Discovery Channel does show the terrifying strength of these cartilaginous fish, it also does a lot to recognize the importance of sharks in the marine ecosystem.
Many people consider sharks as evil, frightening, large, scary creatures, BUT, the reality is that sharks play an important role in the health of the entire marine ecosystem, and despite what many may see on TV, there’s no need to sensationalize these animals as dangerous, “man eating machines.”
Sharks are considered the ocean’s “garbage collectors,” which means that eaters, they’re scavengers. They hunt for easy targets such as injured, sick, dying, or diseased animals—which actually helps keep the food chain in balance and contributes to a healthy marine ecosystem.
The majority of sharks average 2-4 feet in length and are surprisingly skittish animals. Many times, sharks are even afraid of humans, and avoid areas with 15 or more people because it makes them feel really uncomfortable.
Not only do sharks play an important role in the ocean ecosystem here in Hawaii, they also play a large role in Hawaiian culture as aumakua, or family ancestors who have taken on a different form and serve as watchful protectors. As ocean going people, many Hawaiians consider sharks to be their aumakua, and the animals are respected and revered in Hawaii—you should consider yourself lucky if you see one!
The next time you go out snorkeling in Maui, you may be wondering what sharks could be out there, so here’s a list of the most common sharks found that are found in our part of the Pacific.
Blacktip Reef Shark
Typically found in shallow, inshore waters over reef flats, this shark is identified by its black tipped dorsal fin. They are a smaller shark species, growing up to approximately 5ft long. They exhibit strong site fidelity and will stay within the same local area for years.
Whitetip Reef Shark
A smaller species of shark reaching lengths of around 5 ft, whitetips are easily recognizable by their slender bodies and a dorsal fin with a small, but distinctly white tip. They spend most of their time during the day resting inside caves and under ledges, and you can sometimes find them at Mala Wharf hiding out under some of the pilings.
Hammerhead Shark
Named for the shape of their head (which of course looks like a hammer!), hammerheads swim in schools during the day but become solitary at night. Molokai is well known for its schooling hammerhead dives, which take place in deep water off of Moku Ho‘oniki.
Galapagos Shark
Photo Attribution: Claire Fackler, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries
Photo Attribution NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
This species can reach lengths of approximately 9ft with a typical “shark” like body shape. It has a very tall dorsal fin compared to other shark species and is commonly seen in clear, tropical water. Keep an eye our for them inside Lahaina Harbor, trailing behind the fishing boats!
Tiger Shark
One of the larger shark species in the Hawaiian Islands, tiger sharks can grow up to 16ft. They get their name from the dark strips that run along their body, which give the appearance of tiger stripes. The tiger shark is ‘near threatened’ on the IUCN red list due to finning by humans, and if you haven’t heard of "finning," check out the film SHARKWATER which details the dark, shark fin soup trade that’s diminishing shark populations.
Whale Sharks
Whale shark spotted on Trilogy tour. Photo courtesy of Captain Pat.
Whale sharks are the largest shark species in existence today, reaching lengths up to 40 feet! While their name can be confusing, this is indeed a shark species and is named for its potentially massive size.
The whale shark is found in open, tropical water, and even though they’re the world’s largest species of shark, they’re filter feeders who survive on one of the tiniest species on Earth—plankton.
A couple of times per year (when we’re incredibly lucky!), we’ll encounter whale sharks out mid-channel on one of our Maui snorkeling tours.
As we mentioned earlier, sharks are one of our apex predators and are key to a healthy ecosystem, but they’re being killed at incredibly sad, unsustainable rates.
Every year there are about 30-100 million sharks that are killed during fishing activity, and it can be as high as 11,000 per hour—that’s definitely a problem for our oceans!
As ocean lovers, it’s our job to move past fear of sharks that’s largely been created by sensationalized media, and create a healthy, sustainable coexistence for the future prosperity of our entire marine environment.
Have any other questions about sharks? Ask them in the comments below!
By Trilogy Intern, Rachel Nguyen