Rare whitetip shark breach in Maldives documented in international scientific journal

A rare sighting of an oceanic whitetip shark breaching in Maldivian waters has been documented by divers in Fuvahmulah and later published in an international scientific journal. The shark, commonly known as the whitetip shark, was spotted by divers from Pelagic Divers while diving between Fuvahmulah and Huvadhoo Atoll in the south.

The divers captured the moment on video and posted it on Facebook. The footage shows the shark rising from the seabed and breaching the surface, spinning in a dolphin-like motion, behaviour almost never recorded for this species.

Experts analysing the footage noted that a pilot fish was seen accompanying the shark before the breach but detached during the ascent and did not immediately reattach after the shark re-entered the water.

Two other sharks were also active in the area at the time.

Diver Ahmed Inah, who witnessed the event, told BBC’s Discover Wildlife that the sight was exceptionally rare. He said the group shouted with excitement when the shark breached a second time. Another diver, Ansar Ahmed, said he realised instantly that the shark was preparing to jump when he saw it twist and accelerate upward.

The findings have now been published in Pacific Conservation Biology in collaboration with experts from Qatar University and Mareco. The paper notes that the shark in the video was a female and that it breached approximately two metres above the water.

Oceanic whitetip sharks, though common in the open ocean, are rarely recorded breaching, and scientists have yet to determine the exact cause of the behaviour. Some researchers believe breaching may occur during hunting or as a form of communication, though the paper states that neither explanation appears likely in this case.

Instead, experts suggest the shark may have breached to remove the pilot fish attached to its body, while others debated whether a hook mark or irritation may have caused distress.

The sighting adds valuable insight into the behaviour of a species listed as Critically Endangered, and highlights the Maldives as one of the few remaining regions where oceanic whitetip sharks can still be observed.