What is a Caribbean reef shark?

The Caribbean reef shark, Carcharhinus perezi, is a member of the requiem shark family. Caribbean reef sharks reach lengths of up to 9.5 feet. The shark is most commonly found in shallow waters, along ocean bottoms and around coral reefs in the tropical waters from Florida into the Caribbean.

The shark ranges in color from gray-brown to dark gray on the dorsal side and white to light yellow on the ventral side. The streamlined body of the shark is similar to the bignose, blacktip, dusky, Galapagos, sandbar and silky shark species. While these sharks are considered dangerous, they do not have a history of attacking humans.