The whale shark
- Friendly Fins
- Nov 18, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 7
Why learn about the whale shark?
“My name is Maro Kintana, in Malagasy it means many stars! With such a romantic name it is impossible not to love me!”
How do we recognize the whale shark
It is a fish in all respects, it does NOT come to the surface to breathe, it is called a whale simply because it is very large but it is absolutely NOT a mammal and therefore breathes underwater through its gills.
It reaches enormous dimensions, on average around 12 metres.
It has a unique and unmistakable coloration: a blue-greenish back covered in white polka dots, while the belly is light.
“Thanks to my polka dots and my size, I got my nickname!”
It has the classic shark shape with a slightly compressed and widened snout.
It has a very long and robust tail, with the upper lobe much longer than the lower one,
"All it takes is a little flick of my tail to disappear into the blue."
It has a very large mouth placed in a frontal position,
“I know that seeing me with my mouth open while I eat, you might be a little scared, but don't worry! You are definitely not among my favorite snacks!”.
What does the whale shark eat?
The whale shark eats plankton, small fish and eggs; in fact it has a very large mouth because it has to filter enormous quantities of water through its gills to obtain nourishment. Plankton is a group of organisms that are carried by the current and the whale shark has developed special techniques to feed on them:
During certain periods of the year, plankton accumulates at the surface and the whale shark is attracted to this banquet. It often feeds in a vertical position with its mouth towards the surface, actively sucking in water and then filtering it.
At other times, it remains at depth feeding passively, keeping its mouth open while swimming, without the slightest effort.
"It will definitely be very easy to see me while I eat because I always swim very calmly, thus facilitating the filtration of my planktonic snacks!"
Whale sharks have a huge number of small teeth, between 3,000 and 5,000. It is likely that during evolution, these sharks changed their diet and therefore their teeth!
“If you get really, really close to me, you’ll notice them!”
Where does the whale shark live?
The whale shark lives in temperate and tropical seas around the world, it can be found in the Caribbean Sea, in the Pacific and Indian Oceans but be careful… It is a migratory species so it will not always be present in the same place. In the Indian Ocean:
In the Red Sea: it is likely to be found from November to February, especially in the South, in the Djibouti area.
In the Maldives: from December to April it is likely to be found in the western atolls while from May to November in the eastern ones.
In Madagascar: it can be encountered from September to December.
"I'm a vagabond but sooner or later you'll find me!"
Whale Shark Migrations
Whale sharks are great migrators, they can travel up to 7000 km, although at the moment their routes are still shrouded in mystery, especially about the places where they give birth to their young. They migrate in search of food, mostly plankton that accumulates in particular areas of the ocean, and at certain times of the year.
Whale sharks gather in these places in huge numbers, returning year after year.
“In Yucatan, Mexico, we meet in 800 specimens every year and feast happily”
"In Nosy Be, Madagascar, there are about 300 of us enjoying the pleasant warm waters rich in food!"
The Life of the Whale Shark:
It is a very long-lived shark, it is thought that it can live up to 100 years.
It is a solitary type, only on rare occasions of abundance of food can they be in large groups.
It becomes sexually mature around age 30, when it reaches 9 metres in length.
Male whale sharks, like all other cartilaginous fish, have two penises, called claspers, located between the two anal fins. This feature makes them easily distinguishable from females.
Reproduction is ovoviviparous, meaning the fertilized eggs have everything the little shark needs to grow inside the mother; once the nourishment is finished, they are ready to be born.
The female is the most fecund of all shark species and is capable of giving birth to up to 300 young.
“At the beginning there are so many of us, but not all of us manage to grow up!”
A newborn whale shark measures 50-60 cm.
The birth will certainly take place in a very protected place (called nursery), with calm waters and no predators, so as to maximally favor the survival of the young.
There is no parental care of the mother after giving birth.
“We are very elusive when we are born. Where do we live the first months of life? You don’t know, do you? This is our secret!”
The Enemies of the Whale Shark:
The whale shark until it reaches considerable size could fall victim to attacks from numerous larger sharks, but the greatest danger remains us.
Like all other sharks it is fished for:
its fins (the famous shark fin soup);
its meat in India, China, Taiwan and the Philippines;
its very robust and thick skin (14 cm);
for shark liver oil;
for its cartilage (used in medicine and beauty treatments throughout the world).
Accidental injuries
It also suffers injuries due to propellers, swimming on the surface these giants can often collide with boats or worse… Due to a reckless and careless Whale shark watching you risk injuring or killing these extraordinary animals.
Whale Shark Protection
Its very long life cycle cannot support massive fishing: few young ones reach adulthood and reproduce. Furthermore, at the moment it has not yet been possible to estimate how many times in life these sharks mate or where they do it.
Even its migration and habits are still little known. Therefore it is an extremely delicate species: protected at a global level and declared at risk of extinction.
“We are gentle giants and we are at the top of the food chain; if we disappeared, the entire ocean would suffer.”
Comentários