This study utilized drones to track the movement patterns of blacktip reef sharks, Carcharhinus melanopterus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824), in a tropical shallow bay in Malaysia. Fifty-four movement tracks were collected, and sharks were predominantly subadults and adults and were tracked for an average duration of 11 min during early morning hours. Movement tracks were categorized into two distinct behavioral patterns: area-restricted searching (ARS) and wandering. ARS behavior revealed slower speed and concentrated activity in the shallow, beach shoreline-adjacent reef flat, while wandering behavior was characterized by less reef flat association and more directed movement into habitats in deeper water. We also identified shark size, tidal height, and tide status as factors influencing movement patterns, and we observed foraging and following behavior. This study represents the first application of drone-based movement tracking on a shark species in Malaysia and provides one of the most comprehensive datasets for examining fine-scale movement patterns in blacktip reef sharks. Our findings place new emphasis on the importance of shallow reef flat edge habitats for adult blacktip reef sharks as potential foraging and reproductive grounds, informing priority areas for shark conservation while advancing the use of noninvasive drone-based movement tracking in shark populations.
