Maldives 2015, Thudufushi - Photos 4

This site looks much better with JavaScript turned on.  For the best experience, please enable JavaScript and refresh the page.

Sharks and Rays

At Ali Thila a Grey reef shark (Carcharhinos amblyrhynchos) tilts its body up at 45° and opens its mouth.  This is a request to have its teeth cleaned.  Here you can see a little Cleaner wrasse, much braver than I am, swim into the shark's mouth to pick its teeth clean.
At Ali Thila a Grey reef shark (Carcharhinos amblyrhynchos) tilts its body up at 45° and opens its mouth. This is a request to have its teeth 
					cleaned. Here you can see a little Cleaner wrasse, much braver than I am, swim into the shark's mouth to pick its teeth clean.
A few seconds later, a second Cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) swims over to help out.
A few seconds later, a second Cleaner wrasse <em>(Labroides dimidiatus)</em> swims over to help out.
A Whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus) swims past in the distance at Thudufushi Thila.
A Whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus) swims past in the distance at Thudufushi Thila.
Several Whitetips circle around a coral block at Panettone Manta Point.
Several Whitetips circle around a coral block at Pannetone Manta Point.
At Thudufushi Thila, dive leader Luca says "we'll go that way", while a couple of Grey reef sharks swim past.
At Thudufushi Thila, dive leader Luca says 'we'll go that way', while a couple of Grey reef sharks swim past.
At Panettone Manta Point.
At Panettone Manta Point.

This video shows lots of Grey reef sharks at Maavaru Corner, and the Pilot Whales we saw from the dive boat near Panettone Manta Point.

While filming the Grey reef sharks I was at 30m.  The sharks were 5-10m below us, hence the murky conditions.  There's a distant view of a group of elegant Eagle rays at Panettone, where Govinda waves at me as we drift along the reef.  Finally, the school of Pilot whales keeps its distance near Panettone.

It's hosted on YouTube - it needs JavaScript enabled (especially if you're using Google's Chrome browser), can be viewed in full screen, and you can change it to 720p HD quality if your bandwidth can stand it.

A Stingray aka Giant reef ray (Taeniura melanospilos) flashes past me at Thudufushi Thila.
A Stingray aka Giant reef ray (Taeniura melanospilos) flashes past me at Thudufushi Thila.
While another snoozes gently at Thudufushi Thila.
While another snoozes gently at Thudufushi Thila.
And a third keeps a wary eye on me as I approach at Tamala Thila.
And a third keeps a wary eye on me as I approach at Tamala Thila.
This Spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) at Himandoo Thila has lost most of its long tail, probably to a shark attack.
This Spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) at Himandoo Thila has lost most of its long tail, probably to a shark attack.
Whereas this bunch of four in the distance at Thudufushi Thila have looked after theirs better.
Whereas this bunch of four in the distance at Thudufushi Thila have looked after theirs better.
As have these in the distance at Panettone Manta Point.
As have these in the distance at Panettone Manta Point.
And this one, also at Panettone Manta Point.
And this one, also at Panettone Manta Point.

Back to Thudufushi 2015.