What do whale sharks eat?

They are active filter feeders that eat plankton, krill, fish eggs, and small schooling fish such as sardines and anchovies.

Where are whale sharks found?

Whale sharks inhabit the open waters of tropical oceans worldwide and are rarely found in water below about 21 °C (70 °F).

Are whale sharks dangerous to people?

Despite their size, whale sharks are described as docile and do not pose a significant threat to humans.

How big and how long-lived are whale sharks?

They are the largest living fish species (individuals recorded up to about 18.8 m) with an estimated lifespan of roughly 80–130 years.

Why are whale sharks endangered?

The species has declined by more than 50% over the last 75 years, primarily because of targeted fishing, bycatch, and collisions with large ships.

Do whale sharks migrate?

Yes; they are highly migratory and travel long distances to exploit seasonal food sources, sometimes forming large feeding aggregations at coastal sites.

How much water can a whale shark filter?

They can process over 6,000 liters of water per hour through their sieve-like gill pads.

Are whale sharks the only species in their family?

Yes; the whale shark is the only living species in the genus Rhincodon and the only extant member of the family Rhincodontidae.

Where to See Whale Shark While Diving

The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known living fish species. Individuals reach extreme lengths (the largest reliably recorded measured 18.8 m) and the species is notable for being the most massive living non-cetacean animal. It is the only living species in the genus Rhincodon and the sole extant member of the family Rhincodontidae. Whale sharks feed by filtering seawater through specialized sieve-like gill pads and primarily consume plankton, krill, fish eggs, and small schooling fish such as sardines and anchovies, processing thousands of liters of water per hour. They are highly migratory, traveling long distances across tropical oceans to exploit seasonal food sources, and form large, predictable coastal feeding aggregations at certain sites. Despite their size, whale sharks are generally docile and are not considered a significant threat to humans. The species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List after an estimated population decline of more than 50% over the last 75 years, with primary threats including targeted fishing, bycatch, and ship strikes. Whale sharks inhabit open tropical waters, are rarely found below about 21 °C (70 °F), and have an estimated lifespan of roughly 80 to 130 years based on growth-band studies.

Listed as Endangered by the IUCN due to an estimated population decline of more than 50% over the past 75 years, primarily from targeted fishing, bycatch, and ship strikes.

Highly migratory, traveling long distances across tropical oceans to exploit seasonal food sources; form large, predictable coastal feeding aggregations at specific sites.

The strongest linked planning options currently surface around destinations such as Koh Tao, Puerto Princesa + Tubbataha Gateway (Palawan), Ari Atoll and countries such as Thailand, Seychelles, Egypt for divers building trips around whale sharks.