On 30^th August it’s International Whale Shark Day! So to celebrate, this month’s Creature Feature is all about the largest fish in the ocean… the Whale Shark!

The biggest shark in the ocean. The biggest fish in the ocean. The Whale Shark lives up to its name. Reaching a whopping 18m in length (potentially more). This is a legendary and beautiful shark.

They are unmistakable. Apart from their size, these filter-feeders have a beautiful patterning on their back. They have a checkerboard of white or yellowish spots on a grey, blue or brown back. It is often compared to a starry sky. In fact. In Madagascar they are known as “marokintana” for “many stars”.

Each Whale Shark’s pattern is unique. Amazingly, software used to identify star clusters from images of space has been adapted to identify individual Whale Sharks!

These sharks are highly migratory. Including journeys of 13,000km (made one way only) over 37 months. Which falls short of the most migratory shark, the Blue Shark. Tagging has revealed that there are regular ‘aggregation sites’. Here, Whale Sharks come together in huge numbers. Several hundred Whale Sharks may come together at once. To feed at annual, seasonal or lunar fish and invertebrate spawning events. The huge numbers of plankton at these events are consumed by suction. Whale Sharks can hang vertically and feed by sucking and gulping in water which is filtered through gill rakers.

Despite everything we know about them. And tagging studies. We still don’t know where Whale Sharks’ pupping or nursery grounds are! We do know they are viviparous, giving birth to live young. Giving birth to up to 300 young.

Although they are protected by international agreements such as CITES and CMS. Unfortunately, Whale Sharks are endangered. They’ve been overfished in many areas for meat. Currently, the tourism industry for this species is booming. If you’re lucky enough to be able to go and see Whale Sharks – then why not take a look at our guide for ecotourism.

Finally, if you want to support this majestic creature why not adopt a Whale Shark?

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rhincodon typus

FAMILY:  Rhincodontidae

MAXIMUM SIZE: 17m - 21m

DIET: Plankton

DISTRIBUTION: Circumglobal, all tropical and warm seas except the Mediterranean

HABITAT: Open ocean to close inshore off beaches

CONSERVATION STATUS:

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Banner Image - © Paul Cowell | Shutterstock

In-text Images - © Frogfish Photography