This INTERNATIONAL WHALE SHARK DAY, sink your teeth into these impressive facts about the world’s largest fish.
Whale sharks (scientific name Rhincodon typus) are magnificent creatures that serve as a testament to our ocean’s incredible biodiversity. Each year, we celebrate the tenacity of this endangered species on INTERNATIONAL WHALE SHARK DAY.
Docile by nature; whale sharks welcome the presence of scuba divers and researchers alike, in every ocean except the Mediterranean. Despite their size and affability, there are still many mysteries about the whale shark that we have yet to uncover. Dive into these facts about Whale Sharks:
- Whale sharks span 20 meters long (65 feet) and are considered the largest fish in the ocean. It’s a common misconception that they are the largest whale in the ocean because of their name — but whale sharks are actually fish because they get oxygen through their gills.
- Whale sharks are not just the biggest fish in the ocean — they’ve also have the longest life span. Whale sharks are estimated to live up to 130 years, and have been confirmed to live to at least 50 years based on radiocarbon tests.
- Although they have the potential for lengthy lives, only 10% of whale sharks live to adulthood. Young whale sharks are at risk from hunters and other predators.
- Whale sharks may seem like intimidating creatures that feast on anything smaller than them (which, is nearly everything) — but this is not the case. Whale sharks have very tiny teeth, making it impossible for them to eat anything other than plankton, small fish and shrimp. Whale sharks eat 20 kg (45 lbs) of plankton a day. They can spend up to 8 hours eating, a necessity for such a hefty creature. Without whale sharks, our ocean’s plankton would become unregulated.
- Although it is possible to get up close with whale sharks, there’s plenty of basic information that we still don’t know about them. For example — a whale shark birth has never been observed. Very few young whale sharks have been sighted. Nearly 15 years ago, a baby whale shark was found swimming off the coast of the Philippines. This sighting made headlines, as it helped scientists understand more about the development of this mysterious fish.
- 50% of the whale shark population has declined in the past 75 years, placing whale sharks on the endangered list. Whale sharks are facing extinction from ocean pollution and human activity — like illegal hunting.
- It’s estimated that between 128,000 - 200,000 whale sharks remain in our oceans. Countries like the Philippines and the Maldives have banned the practice of hunting whale sharks as an attempt to preserve their numbers.
Though whale sharks seem like they’d be easy to study based on their size and lack of aggression, more research needs to be done so we can fully understand these gentle giants. Research helps fuel conservation efforts — without understanding the early lives of whale sharks, we don’t have the full picture of what is needed to protect them.
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