Stunning Cebu Thresher Sharks...
Up Close & Personal!

Malapascua Thresher Sharks

Due to the deep waters in Cebu, bigger species of fishes can easily thrive.

One particular place in Cebu's seas is Malapascua, a famous island where the pelagic thresher sharks make their home.

Watch the video below which study the behavior of thresher sharks. Courtesy to the video maker and owner

what's a thresher shark

Threshers are large sharks (lamniform sharks) of the Alopiidae family found in temperate and tropic oceans.

This family of sharks have three species - all belonging to the genus Alopias. The three extant thresher shark species (wikipedia.org) are the...

• Pelagic Thresher - Alopias pelagicus H. Nakamura, 1935
• Bigeye Thresher - Alopias superciliosus R.T. Lowe, 1841
• Common Thresher - Alopias vulpius Bonnateree, 1788

Bounty Beach, Malapascua Island, Cebu

Malapascua, Cebu Thresher Sharks

Fox Sharks

The genus and family name of these sharks came from a Greek word that means 'fox'. Thresher sharks can be rightly called fox because they have long tails.

The thresher-like tail or 'caudal fin' of these sharks can be as long as their body - making them attractive to shark fin fishers

Thresher Sharks Distribution & Habitat

These pelagic (relating to the open sea) creatures, although they prefer an open ocean, can be occasionally seen in shallow and inshore waters.

Usually, they live in waters no deeper than 500 meters (1,600 ft). Most Cebu threshers sharks are the bigeye and pelagic thresher sharks - common in the warmer Central and Western Pacific waters.

Eating Habit & Behavior

The basic food items of threshers are schools of fish, (including: bluefish, tuna, and mackerel), squid and cuttlefish, which are quite common not only in the Visayas region but in the entire Philippines seas.

'Bangka' (outrigger boat) transporter

Cebu thresher sharks are solitary creatures. They use their tails to stun smaller fish. And they are one of the few shark species that 'breach' - jumping fully out of the water.

Reproduction & Conservation

Cebu thresher sharks are known to mature slowly; males reach maturity within the age of 7 and 13 years... They can live up to 20 years or more.

Because they are large, like all other big animals do, they reproduce very slowly making them vulnerable by overfishing.

Its meat, liver oil, skin (for leather), and fins (for soup) are the major reasons of worries among shark savers among other conservationists...

World Conservation Union (IUCN)

This famous endangered species conservation group has recently listed these three shark species as vulnerable to extinction. Just like most sharks, threshers are common targets for their fins to satisfy people who are consumers of the known Asian shark fins soup.

The Philippine government has already established marine life protective laws and policies, however, there is scarcity in the implementation of such laws. As a result, conservation groups and some non-governmental organizations take such endeavors in protecting the endangered species.

YOUR Big Chance!

If you are a great fan of Cebu thresher sharks, a conservationist, or just love to scuba dive and watch big fishes, this is your CHANCE to make a difference in this environmental issue.

You may visit Cebu and then proceed to Malapascua island (Moalboal & some places) - a great island not only because of its white sands, beaches, food and all but because of these wonderful sharks...

There are various places where you can stay while on Malapascua Island. While you dive, you can also enjoy the restaurants, cafes, bars...

http://www.malapascua-diving.com/malapascua.html

More hotels & diving resorts

Below are the hotels and resorts most of which offer scuba diving activities while others offer classes and actual diving lessons in the surrounding area of Malapascua.

Bantigue Cove Beach Resort
Blue Corals Beach Resort
Blue Water Malapascua Beach Resort
Celtis Resort
Cocobana Beach Resort
Dano Beach Resort
Evolution (resort and dive center)
Ging Gings Flower Garden Rooms
Hideaway Resort
Hiltey’s Hideout Homes Malapascua
Hippocampus Beach Resort
Kokay’s Maldito Dive Resort
K 4 (K5) Bamboo Cottages
La Isla Bonita Cottages
Logon Beach Resort
Malapascua Exotic Island Dive and Beach Resort
Malapascua Legend Resort
Malapascua Garden Resort
Mangrove Oriental Resort
Matterhorn Malapascua
Aabana / Mike & Diose’s Beach Cottage
Moonlight Resort Bar and Restaurant
Mr Kwiiz Lodging House
Ocean Vida Beach & Dive Resort
Purple Snapper Dive Resort (KUAN BA)
Slam’s Garden Diving Resort Malapascua
Sunsplash Resort Malapascua
Sunset Beach Resort Malapascua
Tepanee Beach Resort (Wifi)
White Sand Bungalows Malapascua

The links above are the resorts located on Malapascua Island in Cebu Province. Most of these resorts provide diving lessons and scuba diving in various hot spots in and around the island. It is where you can encounter thresher sharks thriving underneath.

The photo below is the popular Bounty Beach where resorts managed by local and international proprietors can be located...

Bounty Beach photo was taken in October 2015

Thanks a lot for reading this page.

We hope you'll see us again, or visit more often this site to discover more interesting information about Cebu islands - its travel resources and holiday destinations.

Please, enjoy your Cebu visit. Have a safe travel and swim with thresher sharks!

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