Shark
Oceanic blacktip shark
Carcharhinus limbatus
IUCN status: Vulnerable
A fast, silvery requiem shark with black fin tips that gathers in numbers around bait — the reliable, year-round backbone of most KwaZulu-Natal shark dives. Distinct from the smaller blacktip reef shark of tropical lagoons.
- Max size
- Up to ~2.5m
- Habitat
- Coastal warm-temperate and tropical water
Best places to dive with Oceanic blacktip shark
rareoccasionalcommonly seenpeak season
KwaZulu-Natal Shark Coast
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
A permanent resident of both shoals with no real season; the mainstay of the baited dives.
Sources & last checked
Checked July 2026
Research is source-backed, but conditions and fees should still be confirmed locally.
View 2 sources and checking notes
- Aliwal Shoal Seasonal Sightings, Aliwal Dive Center
- Carcharhinus limbatus (Blacktip Shark), IUCN Red List of Threatened Species