Whale shark (Rhincodon typus): A slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark
Species: | R
Whale sharks are the largest known extant fish species
Its name “whale shark” comes from its size, which is as large as some species of whales and also from the fact that it is a filter feeder like whales
Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world, they can measure up to 45 feet in length and adults weigh about 41,000 pounds
Its mouth alone stretches four feet wide
Whale sharks are the largest species of shark, and ironically, they are benign
Whale sharks have distinctive light yellow markings on their very thick, dark gray skin
Their thick rubbery skin acts as armor to deter shark predators
A whale shark’s large mouth is at the front of its head, as opposed to the bottom of its head like most shark species
The whale shark is a filter-feeding carpet shark, meaning it can neither bite nor chew
Whale sharks have thousands of tiny teeth that can only catch shrimp and plankton using their modified gills as a suction filter
Whale sharks are slow swimmers, moving at speeds of no more than 3 miles per hour
Despite their large mouths, plankton are strained and swallowed by a throat so small it’s only the size of a coin
Whale sharks are usually accompanied by a number of free chargers
Remoras, or windfish, often accompany whale sharks everywhere and position themselves to make sure they don’t miss a cut
A whale shark can process more than 6,000 liters of water per hour through its gills
The whale shark is found in the open waters of tropical oceans and is rarely found in water below 70 degrees Fahrenheit
Whale sharks can be found in all temperate and tropical oceans of the world except the Mediterranean Sea They migrate thousands of kilometers to different feeding areas
Little is known about their breeding and social structures
Female whale sharks produce eggs, but the young hatch inside the mother rather than in the water like most fish
A female giving birth has never been observed
Upon giving birth, the mother whale shark leaves her young to fend for themselves
It is estimated that less than 10% of whale sharks born survive to adulthood
At 25 years of age, whale sharks reach sexual maturity and will have their own young
Adults are often found feeding at the surface, but can dive to depths of 1000 m
Although whale sharks are solitary creatures, they often share their feeding grounds with other whale sharks
It is believed that whale sharks can have a lifespan of 100 to 150 years
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), unregulated and unsustainable fisheries are the main threat to whale sharks
Whale sharks are highly valued in international markets for their meat, fins and liver oil, especially in East Asian countries
Bycatch is another threat to the species, as they may fall victim to the bycatch of non-target species in fishing gear
Marine tourism presents another threat to the species as it can disrupt their feeding and boat propellers can injure sharks
Conservation state:
Whale sharks are listed as “Endangered” by the IUCN Red List
Conservation efforts:
Conservation groups like WWF are working to protect this endangered species
WWF is helping to improve whale shark tourism
It is also carrying out scientific research on the species to better understand its habitats
WWF experts are collecting information on individual whale sharks using satellite tags, sonar devices and digital cameras
The information collected will be used to develop further protections for whale sharks
Source: World Wildlife Fund (WWF)