Shark

Silvertip shark

Carcharhinus albimarginatus

IUCN status: Vulnerable

A large requiem shark named for the white margins on its fins. At Cocos it is most reliably seen at the shallow Silverado cleaning station rather than on the deeper hammerhead seamounts. IUCN lists it as Vulnerable.

Max size
Up to about 3m
Habitat
Offshore reefs, seamounts and drop-offs, often around isolated islands

Best places to dive with Silvertip shark

rareoccasionalcommonly seenpeak season
Cocos Island
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Associated with a specific cleaning station (Silverado) south of Chatham Bay; not a general sighting across most Cocos dives. No strong seasonal pattern in the sources.

Sources & last checked

Checked July 2026

This is a researched draft, not yet human-verified. The seasonality and logistics are drawn from the sources below — confirm specifics (permits, fees, closures) with an operator before you book.