Whale Shark Facts - Amazing Planet Earth
Found in open waters of tropical oceans, the whale shark is the largest living fish in the world, renowned for its gentle nature. Their sheer size and filter-feeding behaviour gives them the name ‘whale’ shark, however, they are, in fact, sharks not whales. The whale shark is currently listed as Endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, with populations declining globally due to overfishing, by-catch, and vessel strikes.
This blog was originally created by Natucate and has been refined and republished with their permission.
FACT #1
A whale shark can be distinguished by its spots and stripes, with each individual boasting its own identifiable pattern –just like the human fingerprint. This helps scientists and researchers track, identify and distinguish these massive fish in a non-invasive way by comparing photographs with the animals’ information that they have already stored.
FACT #2
“Does it have teeth?” This question is understandably one of the first things that a research assistant might think after being introduced to this unusual fish; particularly if they are required to swim in the open sea alongside them! Yes, the whale shark does have teeth. However, its teeth are very small and pose no threat whatsoever to humans - especially because their diet is filter-fed, containing lots of plankton and krill.
FACT #3
The whale shark was first described and named in 1828 by Scottish military surgeon and pen-pal to Charles Darwin, Andrew Smith. Smith formally named the whale shark Rhincodon typus, after seeing one harpooned in Table Bay, South Africa.
FACT #4
Remarkably, whale shark reproduction - including mating, breeding and/or pupping - has never been observed. Even more incredibly, biologists and conservationists have no idea how, how often or where whale sharks are breeding. This knowledge is essential for understanding the growth and decline of whale shark populations, particularly as the shark is likely to be even more vulnerable to threats during this time.
FACT #5
To date, only one pregnant whale shark has been observed. She was caught in Taiwan in 1995 and everything that is known about whale shark reproduction stems entirely from this individual!
FACT #6
The whale shark has the largest known inner ear in the animal kingdom. With such large hearing structures, it is likely that whale sharks are most receptive to long wavelength and low frequency sound.
FACT #7
The whale shark has been observed interacting with humans in strange and beautiful ways. Accustomed to the presence of scuba divers, many whale sharks have been seen accompanying humans in the ocean and curiously approaching small boats in the water. Their docile nature has even seen a few swimmers ride the fish, which is strongly discouraged and can be distressing to marine life.
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