The whitetip reef shark project of Hawaii
Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology Shark Lab

Whitetip Photo-Identification Project

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are you collecting photos of whitetip reef sharks?

To find out where they go, how far they travel, and how long they stay there. Whitetips are unique in several ways:

  • They have the ability to rest in one place (as opposed to many sharks that have to keep swimming constantly in order to breathe)
  • Because they can rest in one place and like to lie in caves during the day, they are easily and frequently encountered by divers in Hawaii
  • They have unique patterns of dark spots on their sides that can be used to identify individuals. We're collecting as many whitetip pictures as possible to figure out how far these sharks move, or how long they stay in a given area, use the same cave, etc.

Why should I take the time to send you my photos?

  • You will be contributing to a conservation-minded research project and helping to expand our knowledge of shark movement patterns.
  • Once we process your photo, you'll get the satisfaction of knowing if your shark has been seen before and when/where it was seen
  • Your photo could be the puzzle piece that tells us something shocking
  • We'll send you a really cool whitetip (Spot Shark?) bumper sticker
  • People will see your name on this website and know what a great diver, conservationist, and all-around good person you are
  • Other people will hear about your involvement and be inspired to get involved and contribute their own photos, just so they can be like you
  • You'll feel a great sense of achievement and satisfaction because you gave something back to the animals and environment that you enjoy so much

How do I know if my pictures are good enough to be used in your study?

They are. All of them. Trust me. We are not looking for National Geographic-quality photos here. Many pictures that you may consider "throw-aways" could be very valuable to us. Even if they're blurry, or you only got a shot of part of the shark - there may be data there for us! When in doubt, send it out. We'll decide how to use it.

Which parts of the shark do you want photographed?

Any photos you have could be useful, but ideally we're looking for pictures of the side of the shark, from head to tail. The best body markings (spots) are usually in the middle of the body on both sides of the shark, but we look for unique features on all parts of the body:

  • The head region often has hooks or scars that can be unique to each individual
  • The region from the pectoral fins to the pelvic fins usually has the most spots and is probably the best region to look at to ID individual sharks
  • The region from the second dorsal fin to the tail is also very important. Some sharks have a white tip on their second dorsal fin, some don't. The same is true for the lower caudal (tail) fin

What should I do if I see a shark and want to get pictures for your project?

Get as many pictures of the shark as you can to make sure you get good shots of all parts of the body. Focus on the center of the body first to get the spot patterns, but good shots from the head to the tail are very useful. Try to get pictures of both sides of the shark if at all possible. When you download your pictures to your computer, make sure you document where and when your photos were taken.

Why do you want pictures of both sides of the same shark?

There are two sides to every shark, and each side has a different spot pattern. So we may get a picture of the left side of a shark from Maui, then a picture of the right side of that shark from Oahu, and have no idea that it's the same shark. If someone was then able to get shots of both sides of that shark, we could make the connection and pick up information that we didn't even know we had!

Where do you want pictures from?

Anywhere in the world, but mainly the Main Hawaiian Islands. Oahu, Maui, Lanai, Kauai, and Kona are our main areas of focus due to high diver and shark traffic, but we're collecting photos from anywhere we can. Whitetip photos from other parts of the world can be used to look for any regional patterns in spot frequency, density, etc.

Do you want pictures of whitetips from places other than Hawaii?

Yes. We're not doing photo-ID studies on populations outside Hawaii but we are interested to see if there are any major differences in spot patterns or spot densities in non-Hawaiian populations.

Do you want pictures of other sharks as well?

Sure. We're not doing photo-ID studies on other species but are always up for looking at shark photos. We'll also identify your shark species free of charge if you don't know what kind of shark it is. Aren't we great?!

How do I submit my photos?

Any way you like: email, snail-mail hard copy pics or CDs, or upload them directly to this website. Click here for more info on photo submission.

What information do I need to submit with my photos?

Date of photo and location (where photo was taken). We also ask for your personal contact information (so we can send you reward stickers and reach you for more info) and any additional information about your sighting (such as whether any of your photos show both sides of the same shark)

What if I don't know exactly when my pictures were taken?

Again, we ask that you be as specific as possible. A specific date and time is ideal but we would hope for a month and year at the least. No clue? We'll take them anyway and work with you to figure it out

What if I don't know exactly where my pictures were taken?

We ask that you be as specific as you possibly can. At the very least you should be able to tell us which side of what island your photos are from. Other information (such as which dive boat you went out on, etc) may help us to figure it out. If you have NO CLUE where the photos were taken, we still want them! We may well be able to figure out location from background clues

What if I have video instead of photos?

Video has the potential to be even more valuable to us since you're more likely to get both sides of the shark when using video then when shooting stills. We would be happy to receive either frame-grabs or the raw video itself. For instance, Scuba Drew Videoworks has provided great video footage for our project. Please see Scuba Drew for all of your underwater video needs.

What if my photos are hard copies?

No problem. We use photo-scanners to digitize hard copy photos. You can mail us your photos for scanning and we will mail them back to you (we can't be held responsible for photo damage during mailing). We may also be able to pick up photos from you and return them in person. Click here for more info on photo submission.

What if my photos are really old?

Great! Whitetips probably live for 10 or 20 years (or longer?). We consider older photos to be especially valuable

I'm a professional photographer and rely on my photo sales for income. How can I help the project without jeopardizing my business?

Hey if I wanted to make money, I wouldn't be doing this. We don't need high resolution or professional-quality versions of your pictures. We would love to have your photos at low resolution, and would not post them on our website or use them for any purpose other than internal analysis. Again, many photos that you may consider "throw-aways" could be very valuable to us.

Are you offering any money for whitetip photos?

No. Sorry. We only pay for photos of ourselves that may be embarrassing or otherwise ruin our reputation if released to the public. However, if you would like to enclose donations with your photo contributions you are more than welcome to do so. Note: there are plenty of other reasons to send photos in and help the project.

Mailing Address:

Nick Whitney

Zoology Department

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Honolulu, HI 96822