Sharks are always awesome to see on dives and we are lucky to have a great variety of them on our sites. One of the most popular sharks is the wobbegong. Tasseled Wobbegong Sharks (Euchrossorhinus dadypogon) are the most common on our dive sites, but we also see Banded Wobbegongs (Orectolobus ornatus and even the elusive Northern or Ward's Wobbegong (Orectolobus wardii on occasion. Wobbegongs can reach up to 3.5m in length and once they start to get long, they can also get quite broad in the head and fat in the tummy!
Wobbengongs are flat, very well camouflaged sharks that love to laze around in holes, under ledges and just right out on the reefscape. It's rare to see them swimming more than a few feet at a time so when we do find one swimming along in midwater it's a special treat.
Almost all of the dive sites that we visit during our half day tours (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) routinely have wobbegongs. It would be an unusual dive at Blizzard Ridge or the Labyrinth that we didn't see them.
We also see them at Bundegi in Exmouth Gulf and over on the West Side during Whale Shark Season. Fraggle Rock and Whalebone at the Muiron Islands (Wednesdays & Sundays) seem to attract more wobbegongs than some of our other sites there.
Wobbies can be very well hidden thanks to their markings so it's a good idea not to set your hand down on any reef structure, even the limestone areas, without making a careful check. They also love to hide out under ledges and behind big schools of glass or baitfish. It's quite easy to move under a ledge where you believe there's nothing there and come face to face with a wobbegong!
Our wobbegong sharks on the Ningaloo Reef tend not to be aggressive and it is possible to approach them quite closely,
but it is important to remember that they can be aggressive, that they have very sharp teeth & can "throw" their jaws out of their mouths AND they can bite their own tails so a respectful distance is always a good idea. A wobbie's bite can be very painful and they have a tendency not to let go once they latch on!
Often small shrimps, crabs and cleaner fish will be darting around on the back of resting wobbies so it's fun to sit for a moment and watch the other activity going on around the shark. On rare occasions nudibranchs may also be inching their way over slumbering wobbies!
Wobbegongs aren't seen everywhere in the world so they are yet another creature that makes diving on the Ningaloo Reef a special experience every day.
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