Oceanic whitetips are easily distinguished by their large, rounded fins, which are mottled on the edges with white.

Statistics
The largest oceanic whitetip recorded was 4m, but on average, females are 2.25m and males are 2.10m.

Physical description
Unlike their parents, newly born sharks have black tips to their fins.

Whitetips have very strong teeth, which are triangular with serrated edges. They have grey backs with a white belly.

Distribution
This species is found at all levels in tropical and subtropical waters. They prefer deep water and rarely comes into shore.

Behaviour
These sharks are considered to be dangerous and are disliked by fishermen due to the damage they do to catches. They are generally slow moving, but can move in fast dashes when hunting.

Oceanic whitetips tend to follow pods of pilot whales or schools of tuna, in order to feed off the smaller and weaker individuals.

Conservation status
Oceanic whitetip sharks are classified as Lower Risk by the 2000 IUCN Red List.