Cayman - Picture of the Day

[caymaniac]

Old photo of Smith's Cove, Grand Cayman

 

[Testudo]

Testudo, was that shark photo taken a few days ago? If so, we probably saw the same shark from Mike's Mount on Friday. He seemed slightly bigger and maybe a little stockier than the typical Caribbean reef sharks we have seen on LC recently, but I had chalked it up to him not approaching as closely as others have in previous years. Is that a tag in the dorsal fin with something like 107 on it? If so, we may have photos of him from Nancy's at this time last year.

---------- Post added September 8th, 2013 at 11:45 PM ----------

Found the picture from last year. Actually I was wrong, it was on Jackson's Reef last year on September 21st. He was tagged on the dorsal fin, and my rough guess was that he was maybe in the 7-foot range. I am 6' tall and he was longer than I am. I think he is the same guy we saw a few days ago, but the pictures were from too far away to see if he had a tag, and I couldn't see it from my position behind and below my wife who was taking the pictures.

---------- Post added September 9th, 2013 at 12:07 AM ----------

As for IDs, between your pictures and what I have from last year, I could see either a Caribbean Reef Shark, Blacktip Reef Shark (with fairly indistinct tips on the pectorals), or Dusky Shark, although I think the Caribbean is most likely.

The picture is from Thursday, 9/5 taken in the Jackson Reef/Nancy's Teacup vicinity (Sorry, I don't know the which mooring buoys represent exactly which site). He was definitely hanging around the same area, as we saw him on both our morning and afternoon snorkels. Sure looks like the same fella your wife shot. There was also a smaller reef or blacktip hanging around the reef fringes, but keeping a further distance. Based on this guy's bulkier look, I thought he might be a bull shark.

Now that you mention it, there does appear to be a tag on his dorsal fin.

 

[caymaniac]

Do you like my hat?....Grand Cayman, stingrayCity

 

[AggieDiver]

Testudo, I would say that the shark we saw was almost certainly not a Bull Shark. They typically have a more defined snout that juts out above their upper jaw. This guy had a smoother nose with the mouth inline with the rest of the underside of his snout that would be more typical of a reef shark. I do agree with you though that it seemed much stockier than most of the reef sharks I have seen. Makes me wonder if it could be a pregnant female or something. I know next to nothing about how to determine sex of a shark and when they breed.

 

[Insta-Gator]

Turn it over and look.

---------- Post added September 10th, 2013 at 01:11 PM ----------

Left is male.

 

[Testudo]

Testudo, I would say that the shark we saw was almost certainly not a Bull Shark. They typically have a more defined snout that juts out above their upper jaw. This guy had a smoother nose with the mouth inline with the rest of the underside of his snout that would be more typical of a reef shark. I do agree with you though that it seemed much stockier than most of the reef sharks I have seen. Makes me wonder if it could be a pregnant female or something. I know next to nothing about how to determine sex of a shark and when they breed.

Reef shark was my first inclination, but my buddy started convincing me otherwise after we came upon him/her again.

 

[vincent54]

I would not eliminate the Bull Shark. The pectoral fins appear broad on your shark in the pic, Reef sharks have a narrower pectoral. If you find a good side view of the shark, there is a ratio between the D1 fin and the D2 fin. According to the Princeton Field Guide it will be 3.2. Otherwise, it is difficult to identify between a large reef and bull. However, the views of your shark show a smallish D1 fin, so I would say a mature Caribbean Reef Shark. Either way it is a beautiful animal. Thanks for the pics.

 

[Testudo]

 

[Insta-Gator]

I need a rum cake while browsing these photos. A chocolate rum cake.

 

[caymaniac]

A lemon shark that was on the Brac cut channel south side along shore...