Silky shark
Carcharhinus falciformis
Sighting evidence at Northwest Point TCI, Turks and Caicos Islands
Photo: Jane Kempler & Andrew Goldby Freelance · CC BY-NC-ND
Silky sharks are open-ocean predators that follow tuna schools and thermocline edges; sightings at Northwest Point are concentrated from November through April when cooler upwellings push baitfish toward the wall. They are slender and fast, with a distinctively smooth skin texture that gives the species its name. Globally vulnerable due to bycatch in longline tuna fisheries.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Silky shark is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.