Blacktip Shark (Wild Republic by K&M International)

3.6 (5 votes)

Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972

The blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus), not to be confused with the blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus), is a requiem shark found in coastal tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. Like the overwhelming majority of sharks, it has never been rendered as a plastic toy (at least as far as I can tell), but it has been made into a plush one courtesy of Wild Republic. I picked up this critter at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada in Toronto, Ontario.

From the tip of its nose to the end of its caudal fin, this blacktip measures slightly over 38 cm long. Its main colours are medium grey and white with black and grey plastic eyes, a pale pink mouth, white felt teeth, black gill slits, and black on the dorsal, pelvic, anal, and caudal fins. Unfortunately, the designer(s) neglected to add black to the pectoral fins as well. But on the plus side, this toy features the thin triangular white streaks on its flanks that help identify it as a blacktip shark.

The proportions on this shark have been modified somewhat to give it a decidedly more friendly appearance. Compared to a real blacktip shark, the body is shorter and fatter, the dorsal and pectoral fins are chunkier, and the snout is shorter and deeper with a fairly small mouth. There’s also only three gill slits on each side instead of five. Such things would be pretty bad on a plastic toy, but considering that plush toys generally aim for a much younger market, I see no reason to judge harshly.

The blacktip is posed with its head and tail raised and its pectoral fins angled forward, making it look a bit like it’s imitating a performing seal or dolphin. This makes it a pretty stable plush, one that is good for displaying on a bed or shelf. The triangular teeth lining the mouth will undoubtedly help encourage imaginative play and the fabric is soft sand pleasing to the touch. Real blacktip sharks grow to around 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) in length, and usually poses no danger to humans. They are fast-moving predators that can leap high out of the water and spin three or four times through the air before landing. Their diet consists mainly of fish, with the occasional cephalopod or crustacean thrown in.

Overall, the Wild Republic blacktip shark is a fun and safe toy for young shark enthusiasts, or older ones.

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