Where are the zebra (leopard) sharks this year?

[Bowmouth]

It seems that there are way less zebra sharks (some of you may know them as leopard sharks) this diving season in the Andaman Sea (including the Mergui Archipelago/Similan Islands/ Surin Islands and Hin Daeng and Hin Muang) than ever before. I'm fairly confident this has nothing to do with longlining or shark-fishing but DO wonder why?

 

[jpslim]

I saw 4 at The Boulders site in one dive in the similans (I think near island #8) yesterday. About 80-100 feet down and got within 1 meter and they were awesome.

 

[archman]

restaurant aquariums, perhaps?

 

[Bowmouth]

Yes, there still are a couple around at the Boulders (Boulder City) in the Similans and also at least one at Sharkfin Reef. Have seen not more than 2 different animals at Ko Tachai Twin Peaks and only 1 at Ko Bon.
In the Mergui Archipelago it's even worse with virtually no zebra sharks on the dive sites. Have seen 1 at Western Rocky, 1 at Fanforest Pinnacle but none at Black Rock and at North and South Twin.
Am eager to know if there are still plenty of zebra shark sightings around PP and Hin Musang (Sharkpoint)? Or are numbers there also down?

 

[Bowmouth]

I do not think that zebra sharks are being harvested in the Similan National Park. I'm not sure though if they are year-round resident on the reefs (in the Similans) or migratory and move away from the reefs. If they are migratory there's ofcourse a bigger chance that they are caught by fishermen as soon as they are out of the protected waters of the National Park.

 

[MoonWrasse]

Last year I saw at least one around the boulders/Similans.
A few months ago I saw a good sized one at A. Reef, but none at Shark Point.

You might have better luck in low season.
Also maybe all the friendly ones have become soup

 

[Batfish]

One of those low season delights - you see more leopard sharks in the low season than in the high season, especially at the local Phuket sites like Shark Point and Anemone Reef.

JP - how was your trip????? I had hoped to see you yesterday morning.

 

[Belushi]

It is unlikely they are being eaten or advertised as restaurant fodder, as I am reliably informed that they upset human digestion. Which we can always thank someone for that small mercy

 

[DontLieToMe]

I don't know about Zebra Sharks but plain old Zebra is very tasty.

 

[Bowmouth]

I don't know about Zebra Sharks but plain old Zebra is very tasty.

With or without its manes?