Species profile

Name: the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is a slow-moving, filter-feeding shark that is recognised as the largest fish in the world.

Appearance: whale sharks have distinctively wide mouths that can reach 1.5 metres across. Their heads are wide and flat with two small eyes at the front. They are typically a grey colour with a white belly. Their skin is marked with pale spots and stripes which are unique to each individual.

Size: the average size of adult whale sharks is around 10 metres long, although several sharks over 18 metres in length have been reported. The largest verified whale shark measured  13 metres long and weighed over 21 tonnes.

Diet: whale sharks are one of only three species of filter-feeding shark (along with basking and megamouth sharks). They feed almost exclusively on plankton and small fish, and pose no threat to humans.

Did you know: whale sharks are estimated to live for 70 to 100 years and don’t reach sexual maturity until they are around 30 years old. Once pregnant, females carry their pups inside themselves as they are not all born at once. After mating, female whale sharks store the sperm so they can give birth to a steady stream of pups over long periods of time. One female whale shark was caught in 1996 who was pregnant with 300 pups!

Location: they inhabit all tropical and warm-temperate seas. They typically live in open waters although they are known to congregate at specific coastal sites to feed.

Where to see whale sharks

According to reports submitted to WildSide, you can see whale sharks in the following places:

Photo credit: NOAA Photo Library, under a Creative Commons license from Flickr