EGYPT · RED SEA

The Southern Red Sea

A photographic journey through the remote southern Red Sea, one of the last regions where coral ecosystems remain largely untouched.

The images document vibrant reef structures, diverse marine life, and the region’s clear tropical waters. Featured subjects include oceanic whitetip sharks at the renowned Elphinstone Reef, pods of dolphins in sheltered lagoons, and shipwrecks that have become thriving artificial reefs.

MEET THE ANIMAL

Oceanic Whitetip Shark

Carcharhinus longimanus

Status
Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List, 2019). Numbers are believed to have fallen by more than 90%, mainly because of fishing.
Where they live
The open ocean in tropical and warm waters worldwide. Elphinstone Reef is one of the few places where divers can meet them regularly.
How to recognise it
Long, rounded fins with bright white tips. Oceanic whitetips can grow up to about 4 metres long.
Behaviour
Bold and curious, they often come close to investigate divers and boats. Like many sharks, they must keep swimming to breathe.
Threats
Longline fishing on the high seas, where they are caught for their fins, meat and liver oil.

Did you know? Its scientific name, longimanus, means “long hands”, after its huge, paddle-shaped pectoral fins.