Zebra Shark

The zebra shark is a slow-moving, bottom-dwelling shark of tropical Indo-Pacific reefs from South Africa to northern Australia, growing to about 2.5 meters. Juveniles are pale-striped on a dark background, but as they mature past roughly 50 to 90 centimeters the pattern reverses into dark spots on a lighter body, and adults grow five ridges running the length of the trunk. It feeds mainly on shelled mollusks, along with crustaceans and small fish, using its flexible body to probe reef crevices. Females lay large egg cases, producing as many as 46 eggs over about 112 days, and the species is listed as Endangered due to fishing pressure across most of its range.