Whale Sharks (Rhiniodon typus)

Whale sharks are the largest fishes on earth. They attain a length of 18m (60ft) or more and weigh up to 34 tonnes (in comparison, a big elephant weighs up to 6 tonnes). They have a very distinctive coloration with the dorsal surface covered with white spots and stripes.
Whale sharks are filter feeders, feeding on zooplankton and small fish and squid. Their large mouths (2-3m wide) engulf huge volumes of water which is filtered by a sieve-like structure inside the five pairs of gill slits on the sides of the head. Large numbers of whale sharks aggregate at various places at specific times each year to feed on rich plankton concentrations. They feed mainly at night and during the day they are often seen moving sluggishly at a depth of two to three metres, attended by their pilot fish and remoras

Size – The whale shark is the largest shark in the world.  On average they can reach a length of 20m. 

Characteristics – Whale sharks have a dark colouration with distinctive white spots on their backs. They have wide mouths that can be up to 1.4m wide.  Whale sharks have 300 small, file-like teeth in their mouths.

Diet – Whale sharks are plankton eaters.  They filter plankton, squid and small fish while swimming slowly through the water.

Life Span – Whale sharks are believed to live for around 100-150 years.  By counting the growth rings on their vertebrae, you can calculate the age of a whale shark.

Reproduction - Pregnant females have been found containing hundreds of pups, so, Whale sharks are viviparous, giving birth to live young. Newborns are over 2 feet (60 cm) long.

Risk to humans – Whale sharks are harmless to people and usually indifferent to divers.

Where can they be found?  Whale sharks prefer warm water.