Shark
Pelagic thresher shark
Alopias pelagicus
The smallest thresher, unmistakable for a scythe-like upper tail lobe nearly as long as its body and large eyes. It uses the tail to stun schooling fish. At Malapascua it visits seamount cleaning stations at dawn, where cleaner wrasse remove parasites — the behaviour that makes near-daily sightings possible. Skittish and no-touch.
- Max size
- Up to ~3.7m total length
- Habitat
- Open ocean; visits seamount cleaning stations
Best places to dive with Pelagic thresher shark
| 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 |
Effectively resident year-round at dawn at Kimud Shoal (since September 2022, formerly Monad). Reliability is a function of the dawn dive rather than season; visibility is best March–May. Commonly seen, not guaranteed.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | not seen |
| February | not seen |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | rare |
Reported riding cold upwelling in the September-November pelagic season, often at the same cool, deep sites as mola; not a reliable target.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Recorded at Manta Bowl on LAMAVE research video and listed among the pelagics of Ticao Pass. Encounters are occasional and not something to plan a trip around; requires the Manta Bowl dive.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | occasional |
Reported at Sinandigan Wall mainly December to March, but sightings are unreliable — Malapascua, not Puerto Galera, is the Philippines' dependable thresher site.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
Only very occasionally reported off Moalboal's deeper offshore sites; the reliable thresher-shark diving in Cebu is at Malapascua (Monad Shoal), not here.
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.
- Thresher Sharks of Malapascua — Thresher Shark Divers
- Best Time to Dive in Malapascua — LiveAboard.com