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Tasselled Wobbegong

The tasselled wobbegong is a master of camouflage, blending seamlessly into the ocean floor with its intricate fringe of skin flaps and mottled coloration. 

 

The tasselled wobbegong dwells off the coast of Australia and New Guinea in the warm waters of the tropical southwest Pacific Ocean. Unlike some other sharks, it does not migrate but instead maintains a small home range where it lives and feeds. This carpet shark has a broad, flattened body covered in elaborate dermal lobes that resemble seaweed, helping it remain nearly invisible against the reef floor. Its exceptional camouflage allows it to lie in wait for unsuspecting prey, striking with lightning-fast precision. 

Using its powerful jaws and needle-like teeth, the tasselled wobbegong eats a variety of reef fish, including occasionally other sharks. Unlike many sharks that actively pursue their prey, the tasselled wobbegong is an ambush predator, remaining motionless until an opportunity arises. When its prey comes into range, the shark opens its jaws and sucks it into its mouth like a vacuum! As a relatively small shark, typically growing to around four feet long, the tasselled wobbegong is not immune to predation itself and may be eaten by larger fish or marine mammals.   

 

 

This shark is not frequently targeted by fisheries nor caught by accident. However, while it is not currently considered endangered, its limited range does put this carpet shark at risk of habitat destruction from pollution or destructive fishing practices like dynamite fishing or bottom trawling, where huge nets are dragged for miles along the seafloor, bulldozing everything in their path.

 

 

Oceana campaigns around the world to protect ocean habitat, including fragile coral reef ecosystems. In 2000, less than 1% of the waters in countries where Oceana operates were protected. Today, thanks to campaigning by Oceana and its allies, approximately 19% of these waters are now safeguarded. We continue working with partners toward the global goal of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030.  

Oceana also fights to end destructive fishing practices like bottom trawling to ensure the protection of critical marine ecosystems. Learn more about our work to protect ocean habitat here.  

 

 

 

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