![]() As recently as 1956 it was believed that they are oviparous because of the discovery of a solitary egg sack in Mexico. Reproduction & Life Cycleĭetails about their reproduction and life cycle are few and sketchy. The whale shark can take in water through forward motion with its mouth open, but can also gulp in water when it's in a stationary position. In fact, their small teeth play no role in feeding at all. They are known as harmless fish and present no threat to either man or the fish that school around them. Every now and again the shark coughs, an action scientists believe is to clear the dermal denticles of food build-up. The denticles act like sieves, which only let water and very tiny particles through. The water is then discharged via the gills and plankton and other specks of food, anything bigger than 2 to 3 mm in diameter, are trapped against the dermal denticles. Food enters the whale shark's mouth by being sucked in. These filter feeders eat plankton, krill, fish eggs, small fish, salp, jellyfish and coral spawn. Other worldwide locations include: the Philippines, off the Seychelles, Christmas Island, South Africa, Mozambique, Honduras and Western Australia. Your best bet for sightings in Thailand's Andaman Sea are at sites like Richelieu Rock between February and May. If you are planning to dive Belize and whale sharks are high on your priority list then plan for March to June to maximise your chances. They are commonly spotted around Socorro Island and in The Sea of Cortez. Mexico's Pacific coast is another great place for encounters with these mighty fish. Cenderawasih Bay in West Papua, Indonesia has superb encounters all year round. July to December is known as 'whale shark season' in the Galapagos Islands and is obviously the best time to visit there to see the sharks, sometimes several on a single dive. In the Maldives sightings are a strong possibility throughout the year in places like Maamigili Beru, South Ari and almost guaranteed during the August to October period in the feeding spectacular at Hanifaru Bay which is found in Baa Atoll. It is unknown what they eat during this time.Įncounters are virtually guaranteed in several parts of the world at the right time of year. It is thought that they spend most of their time in the great ocean depths to negate their increased vulnerability. Young whale sharks of less than 3 metres live in small groups, but are rarely seen. Adults tend to be solitary and nothing is known about how they find each other. Not much is known about the habits of these animals. Unlike that of most other sharks its enormous mouth is terminal in position and can be opened wide to filter large amounts of water for small fish, squid, crustaceans, and other plankton organisms. The whale shark is easily recognised by its immense size and a 2-tone pattern of light spots and lines on a dark brown dorsal surface. They can generally be found in the entire Indian Ocean in depths of up to 130 metres. Whale sharks can weigh over 9 tons and grow up to 12 metres in length, although there are questionable, unconfirmed sightings of specimens up to 18 metres in length. Its tail is vertical and moves from one side to another when it swims, unlike warm-blood animals (mammals) which have parallel tails and breathe through lungs like the whale, dolphin and dugong. Whale Shark Fact SheetĬonsidered the biggest fish in the world, the whale shark is a cold blooded cartilaginous fish like any other shark. One of our satisfied customers said the encounter had demonstrated distinctly more mammalian than fishy behaviour. In fact, aggressive behaviour can drive them away so no touching or swimming after them if you're hoping for one to hang around you. As for etiquette when scuba diving with a whale shark, passive interaction is the best policy. While some people are intimidated by its size, this shark is actually a gentle giant keen to avoid confrontations and generally trusting of humans. Find out more about these mighty creatures and make your dreams come true. The best dives in the world for swimming with whale sharks have been visited by Dive The World and you could go there too. More like a whale than a shark, these fish are right at the top of most divers "To do." lists. If you haven't, then it is difficult to describe the feeling of sharing the water with this, the biggest fish in the sea. ![]()
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