Meet The whale shark
STATUS: Endangered
POPULATION: ~7011
Whale Sharks, or Gentle Giants as they’re often referred to, are the largest of sharks. More specifically Whale Sharks are the largest fish on our planet! They are filter-feeders, feeding on plankton, small fish and shrimps and their white-spotted coloration makes them easy to distinguish. Their spotty patterns are just like human fingerprints: each Whale Shark has a very unique pattern, so researchers can use these patterns as identification. These gentle giants can be as long as 20 meters and while adults can be found on the surface feeding, young Whale Sharks are rarely spotted.
Whale Sharks can be found in all temperate and tropical oceans across the world. They are known to be highly mobile and migrating creatures which makes their examination a little bit more challenging. Every year they make their way from the Galapagos Islands to the open waters of the Pacific Ocean and back to the coasts of Ecuador and Peru.
Scientists have yet to fully understand their migratory path but it’s certainly interesting to see Ecuador’s key role in these sharks’ lives. Ninety percent of Whale Sharks found near the Ecuadorian waters are pregnant, which is one of the very few places they are known to give birth regularly. We know so little about the mating and birthing of Whale Sharks, as neither has ever been observed. It is believed that only 10% of young Whale Sharks reach adulthood, and that upon giving birth the mom leaves the youngs to fend for themselves. The lucky ones that reach adulthood can live up to 100-150 years.
Did you know Whale Sharks process more than 6000 liters of water per hour through their gills? That is over 8 years of the recommended daily drinking-water for humans!
Photo by Zac Wolf via Wikimedia Commons
What’s the danger?
As Whale Sharks are aquatic animals, some of the danger that affects these creatures are similar to those of the finless porpoise. While they pose no danger to humans, they are in high-demand on the international market for their meat, fins and oils. Whale Sharks can be also unfortunate victims of bycatch, the accidental capture in fishing gear. Whale Shark tourism also presents a growing threat to the species as they may collide with boats, that despite their giant size can cause serious harm. In 2010, they were affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill where a known part of the whale shark population feeds for several hours at a time throughout the year.
Whale Sharks are classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List but with the challenges of tracking them during migration, it remains hard to know exactly how many are left on planet earth. Researchers estimate their number has halved in the past 75 years and according to a report in February 2016, there is an estimated 7011 Whale Sharks currently alive.
ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONS
These gentle giants roam the oceans across the globe and filter the water for food as they go. The distribution and density of Whale Sharks indicate the overall health of our oceans. And while it continues to be challenging for researchers to clearly predict life without Whale Sharks, the fact remains that when top-level predators are lost from a biological system, the number of that predator's prey quickly swells.
Whale Sharks are slow swimmers, swimming approximately three miles per hour. ESPN put Michel Phelps' top speed at six miles per hour!
Photo by NeilsPhotography via Wikimedia Commons
How can we help?
World Wildlife Fund helps in the research and protection of Whale Sharks. During the research phase, WWF places satellite tags on Whale Sharks to learn more about their migration and to help further protect them from unforeseen dangers. Currently they have placed satellite tags on 29 Whale Sharks. Additionally, in the Philippines WWF have already identified 458 individual sharks by taking pictures of their unique skin pattern and putting them into a database.
WWF also helps to improve Whale Shark tourism making it safer for the animals. They have programs both in the Philippines and in Mexico where they educate both tourists and tour operators to raise awareness about the harm we can cause if we don’t take care of these amazing creatures.
Make a Pledge For THOSE IN NEED
When you purchase limited edition Everybeing shirts, 100% of net proceeds go directly to organizations working on conservation efforts that are helping stop the sixth and support endangered species in need. You are also contributing to the health of our environment as each of our shirts uses yarn made from eight recycled plastic bottles. Please help us support animals in need and the artists who are bringing it all to life.
