Fast Facts: Whale Shark
The Whale Shark: Rhincodon typus
Description: As one of the members in the order, Orectolobiformes, the Whale Shark has the signature two dorsal fins and small flat head. Also known as Carpet Sharks, Orectolobiformes get their names from their decorative carpet appearance, hence, the Whale Shark's ornately patterned back of white dots and lines on its dark gray back. This species is the largest fish in the world and can measure up to 30 feet and weigh up to 20 tons. Unlike other species, female Whale Sharks are typically larger than males. The biggest Whale Shark known had a length of more than 60 feet!
Habitat: The Whale Shark is one of the most popular sharks in the Great Barrier Reef but typically spend time away from shore in depths lower than 150 feet. Found anywhere in temperate and tropical regions, the Whale Shark is rarely found in temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. However, individuals don't usually spent their lives in one place; throughout the year, Whale Sharks may migrate all the way across the world in search of feeding and mating grounds.
Diet: Despite their enormous size and possession of over 350 rows of tiny sharp teeth, the Whale Shark catches plankton and other small organisms, including mollusks and fish, by simply opening its mouth and allowing excess water to pass through its gills like all other filter-feeders. Whale Sharks are known to be harmless to humans and don't prey on larger mammals.
Behavior: These giants are typically solitary, although hundreds have been known to gather at one place for the purpose of feeding. Sightings of large Whale Shark groups may indicate the health of the waters as high concentrations of this species usually means that there's a high concentration of plankton.
Little is known about the reproductive and mating cycles of Whale Sharks, although it is suspected that Whale Sharks give birth to live pups. Mothers may give birth to litters of up to hundreds of young, however, the average litter number appears to be around 16.
Conservation Status: The Whale Shark population has decreased by half over the past 75 years, leaving around 200,000 individuals left in the wild and sliding this species into the Endangered listing on the ICUN. These whales are highly prized on black markets for their flesh and oil, making them a target of poachers.
Unique Traits: Whale Sharks are able to sense electromagnetic fields emitted by other organisms and objects like most other shark species through their electroreceptors called Ampullae of Lorenzini. These are located around a shark's snout, and new research has suggested that sharks are even able to use the Earth's magnetic fields to navigate around the world.
Additionally, as stated above, each Whale Shark has a decorative white or cream pattern on its backside. Like human fingerprints, each pattern is unique, which allows researchers to identify and track individual Whale Sharks!
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/facts/whale-shark
https://www.britannica.com/animal/whale-shark
https://a-z-animals.com/blog/where-do-whale-sharks-live-tracking-their-habitat/
https://www.audleytravel.com/us/blog/2017/december/the-best-coral-reefs-in-the-world
https://www.barrierreef.org/news/blog/the-great-8-animals-of-the-great-barrier-reef
https://oceanconservancy.org/wildlife-factsheet/whale-shark/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/new-evidence-suggests-sharks-use-earths-magnetic-field-navigate-180977668/#:~:text=Sharks%20are%20known%20to%20have%20special%20receptors%E2%80%94tiny%20jelly-filled,of%20prey%2C%20could%20pick%20up%20Earth%E2%80%99s%20magnetic%20field.
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