Watch: Sharks circle scuba divers in Maldives
Divers have close encounter with sharks in Maldives
Divers swimming near Fuvahmulah, Maldives, came face to face with some of the ocean's top predators when several sharks began circling the group. (Credit: Hadrien Foucher via Storyful)
A group of divers came face to face with some of the ocean's top predators during an excursion in the Maldives.
Famous shark habitat
While swimming off the coast of Fuvahmulah, an island in the Maldives, scuba divers got an up-close look at some sharks in a known tiger shark habitat.
What they're saying:
"We were ending a dive at Tiger Point, a very famous dive site known for the abundance of tiger sharks, so they were expected," Hadrien Foucher, a scuba instructor, said.
The sharks usually stay close to a nearby reef as divers spectate the wildlife, but this time, they swam out into open waters but were not aggressive, Foucher said.
"They were just curious," he said.
Still image taken from video showing divers swimming off the coast of Maldives encountering sharks. (Credit: Hadrien Foucher via Storyful)
Tiger sharks
Dig deeper:
Tiger sharks are known for their vertical bars that cover the sides of their bodies, which have a striking resemblance to tigers – hence the name.
These predators of the sea are fairly aggressive and are "famous for eating just about anything they find or are able to capture," according to Oceana.org.
Tiger sharks can grow up to 18 feet long and can weigh up to 2,000 pounds. They are one of the largest shark species.
Tiger sharks usually live in shallow, coastal waters, according to Oceana, and can be found in oceans throughout the world.
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from Storyful and Oceana.org. This story was reported from Los Angeles.