The pelagic thresher shark (Alopias pelagicus) is easy to recognise by its extraordinary tail: the upper lobe can be almost as long as the rest of the body. Threshers use it like a whip to stun the small schooling fish they hunt.
Threshers live in the open ocean but come up the reef slope, mostly early in the morning, to visit cleaning stations where small fish remove parasites from their skin. Around Fuvahmulah they can be seen most of the year, which makes the island one of the best places in the Maldives to meet them.
They are shy animals: move slowly, breathe calmly and stay low on the reef to give them space. The pelagic thresher is listed as Endangered, so every respectful encounter matters.
