This medium-sized, stocky shark is dark grey to brown on top transitioning to white underneath. It has characteristically marked black-tipped fins. Blacktip sharks prefer to hunt small schooling fishes, taking out prey as they move quickly through the school, often breaching the water at the surface. They are generally timid, but because they forage in shallower waters (less than 100 ft), are frequently encountered by humans. This has resulted in a few bites that are cases of mistaken identity where the shark mistakes a swimmer, or a surfer’s arm or leg for a prey item.