 
|
Whale Shark & Whale Shark Pictures
The whale shark is the worlds largest living fish that reaches lengths in excess of 46' (14m). The whale shark is a filter feeder, meaning it opens its huge mouth taking in water an filtering out plankton. Whale sharks are one of the most amazing things you can ever see under the water, a truely exhilarating experience. Whale sharks are also one of the safest sharks to dive with. They're a shy, timid sharks that are very cautious around humans. Shark size: The whale shark is 45 cm (17.7 inches) at birth and can grow to a maximum length 14 m (46 feet), and possibly larger. The whale shark is aptly named to express the magnitude of their size. It is estimated that most whale sharks live for around 100-150 years, although this is not known for certain. Habitat: The whale shark is found in all tropical and subtropical oceans, along coastal regions, and enters lagoons on tropical islands. It is mostly seen on the surface were divers and snorkelers can swim with this gentle giant of the sea. Locations: Whale sharks are found near the equator, all over the world. Because of their size, you will nto find whale sharks anywhere near the shoreline. Often dive operators have to travel great distances to dive with them.
Feeding: The whale shark feeds alone. It's a filter feeder that sucks squid, planktonic crustaceans, and sardines into its giant mouth. Tuna and jacks are also eaten as they feed on the sardines. Whale sharks have been observed to adopt a vertical orientation at the water's surface when feeding. The sharks hang in a tail-down position and thrust themselves up through schools of feeding tuna and baitfish until their heads break the water's surface. Tuna have been seen to leap into the mouths of whale sharks feeding in this manner. Behavior: Usually whale sharks swim alone, although sometimes they can be spotted in small groups and have even been observed in great numbers of 100 or more. Whale sharks usually follow around large groups of big fish like tuna. Despite their size, they're generally very shy and are very cautious around humans. Diving with whale sharks: Whale sharks are gentle giants. They are curious but cautious around humans. Tour operators travel out into the deep ocean and find schools of tuna, mackerel and barracuda with accompanying whale sharks. Diving with whale sharks is a truly mind blowing experience! Places to see: The best place to dive with whale sharks is off the coast of Western Australia. Several dive operators run whale shark diving tours from the west coast all year round. Other hotspots for whale shark diving include the Belize, The Bahamas, Hawaii and Florida.
|
 |
