Freediving with Tiger Sharks in Fuvahmulah: Social Predators, Adapting Your Diving and Ethical Shark Diving

Curtis Tredway
Jun 10
4 min read

In 2022, I saw tiger sharks for the first time.

It wasn’t in the Maldives or the Bahamas - it was on the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, after a mass coral spawning event went horribly wrong. A huge section of reef died, and with it came a feeding frenzy of over 20 tiger sharks. Watching them glide through the water, calmly taking advantage of the buffet, was a surreal moment. I expected chaos - but what I found was control, curiosity, and calm dominance.

That encounter planted the seed.

Fast forward to 2024 on our Ningaloo Reef Expedition, I finally swam freely with tiger sharks for the first time. No cages. No tanks. Just raw, real interaction - face to face.

Now, in 2025, we’re heading to Fuvahmulah in the Maldives - home to the world’s largest known aggregation of tiger sharks - for our first ever Tiger Shark Freediving Expedition in collaboration with some of the leading Tiger Shark experts in the world.

And we can’t wait to bring you along.

What It’s Like to Freedive With Tiger Sharks

Tiger sharks have a bit of a reputation. Often painted as solitary and unpredictable, they’re known to be one of the "big three" when it comes to unprovoked shark incidents. But the more time you spend with them, the more you realise how misunderstood they really are.

Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) are actually highly intelligent and socially aware predators. Recent research in Fuvahmulah has revealed something few people ever get to see - these sharks interact with one another in fascinating, subtle, and often peaceful ways.

So, what does that mean for us as divers?

It means we can share the water with them safely, ethically, and respectfully. It means the goal isn’t just adrenaline. It’s connection.

New Research: Tiger Sharks Are More Social Than We Thought

Between 2023 and 2024, marine biologists studying the provisioning site at Tiger Harbour, Fuvahmulah, recorded over 300 hours of underwater footage. They photo-identified 40 mature female tiger sharks and documented 36 unique social interactions.

Some of the behaviours observed include:

Submission – A shark rolls sideways and retreats, yielding to a more dominant individual.
Give Way – A shark subtly changes course to let another pass, showing social deference.
Push Away – A dominant shark physically nudges another aside to access food.
Follow Give Way – One shark follows another, prompting it to veer off.
Swim By – Sharks calmly pass each other with no confrontation.
Parallel Swimming – Two sharks swim side by side, often in mutual awareness or tolerance.
Stand Back – Two sharks mutually back off from a contested space without conflict.

Even more fascinating? Two of these behaviours — submission and push away — were recorded for the first time ever in tiger sharks during this study.

Dominance in these interactions often correlated with size, with the largest females (over 4 metres long) most frequently establishing hierarchy through subtle but clear body language.

Why Fuvahmulah is the Ultimate Tiger Shark Dive Destination

There’s nowhere else on Earth like it.

Fuvahmulah, in the southern Maldives, is home to a year-round population of predominantly mature female tiger sharks. Thanks to warm, shallow waters, an easy local food source, and no lagoon barrier, it’s believed the island may serve as a gestation zone for pregnant females.

At Tiger Harbour, sharks are drawn to a site where tuna heads are hidden under rocks - mimicking natural scavenging behaviour. No wild feeding frenzies, no chaos, just controlled, ethical provisioning that allows divers to witness these apex predators up close.

You can expect to see 10 to 20 tiger sharks on a single dive - not fleeting shadows in the distance, but slow, close passes in crystal-clear water.

And the best part? You don’t need scuba tanks. Freediving offers an even more intimate, low-impact, and respectful way to engage with these animals on their own terms.

How to Dive Safely and Respectfully With Tiger Sharks

Freediving with tiger sharks isn’t about proving something — it’s about presence. Here’s how we teach our guests to adapt in the water:

DO:

Wear muted or dark-coloured gear – avoid white, yellow, or high-contrast patterns.
Move slowly – no splashing, erratic finning, or sudden motions.
Stay vertical in the water column – it makes you appear larger and more aware.
Scan regularly – look around every few seconds to check your surroundings.
Keep eye contact with any approaching shark – they respect awareness.
Place a camera or fin between you and the shark if approached closely.
Redirect from just in front of the rostrum (snout) if needed – gently, without aggression.

DON’T:

Touch, chase, or harass the sharks.
Swim in feeding frenzies or uncontrolled baiting sessions.
Dive at dusk or dawn, or in murky water with poor visibility.
Panic or swim away quickly - hold your ground, stay calm, and stay vertical.

Signs of Agitated or Assertive Behaviour:

If a shark begins showing the following behaviours, it’s time to calmly exit the water:

Dropped pectoral fins
Zigzag or erratic swimming
Arching back or tail swaying
Rapid approach followed by tight circling
Repeated close passes from behind

Why It Matters

Swimming with tiger sharks isn’t just about getting a good shot for Instagram.

It’s about shifting the narrative. These animals aren’t monsters — they’re intelligent, social, and essential to ocean ecosystems. Freediving with them helps change perceptions, support research, and protect critical habitats like Fuvahmulah.

Ethical shark diving creates jobs, brings awareness, and proves that conservation and tourism can go hand in hand when done right.

Join Us in 2025

If you’re ready to experience one of the most awe-inspiring marine encounters on the planet, join us for the Deep Sensations Tiger Shark Freediving Expedition in Fuvahmulah.