Whale Sharks

Whale Sharks

The Whale Shark (Latin name: Rhincodon typus), is the largest fish species in the world, reaching lengths of up to 40 feet. Its name can be worrying to people at first, but the Whale Shark is one of the ocean’s most docile creatures and feeds by filtering plankton through its enormous gills. The shark is grey with white spots all over its body. They live throughout warm oceans in the tropics. Some of the best places to see the Whale Shark in the world are in the Maldives and in the Bay Islands of Honduras.
Identified in 1828, it is believed to have existed for about 60 million years, hence its rather prehistoric size. The Whale Shark migrates annually in search of the warmest waters and can dive exceptionally deep – to about 2000 feet!

In many places where the Whale Shark is spotted frequently, divers and snorkelers are known to cruise around in dive boats waiting for the Whale Shark and then dive in to swim with it. Many conservationists are against this practice, since they consider it can be traumatic for the giant fish, and it is not recommended. Furthermore, despite Whale Sharks being a protected species, there is still a large amount of hunting that occurs and also unintended injuries from boats that are trying to get a close look at the mighty sharks. Indeed, the largest threats faced by a Whale Shark are all imposed by humans, since the Whale Shark has no underwater predators.