Aug
30
Celebrating Whale Sharks
Image courtesy of www.coralbaywa.com.au
Today, August 3o, is International Whale Shark Day! I love that a day has been dedicated to an important marine animal like the whale shark. But what has this got to do with wellness I hear you ask.
Well I believe that everything is interconnected, and that includes our relationship with the oceans and marine animals. We are subjected to so much fear-mongering in the media and through the actions of uninformed politicians and regulators when it comes to wild animals like sharks, that it is worthwhile recognizing the importance of these animals for the wellness of our oceans, for the health of our planet and for our own wellbeing.
Whale Sharks – things you might not know
Biggest Fish
You might know that the whale shark is the largest fish in the world and is believed to reach up to 20 meters and can live for 100 years. You might not know however, that new-born whale shark pups are only 35 -65 cm and that a female whale shark can give birth to about 300 pups. Although it is believed that she gives birth to these over a period of time rather than all at once. They take about 30 years to reach reproduction maturity, which is a really long time in the life of any animal whether in the marine environment or on land, so it is really important that juvenile fisheries are protected to allow them to reach maturity.
You may have noticed that whale sharks have a really large mouth which can be up to 1.5m wide and contains 300 rows of tiny teeth. Even so, as a plankton feeder it uses its gills to filter plankton, krill, fish eggs, and in some places very very small fish.
The Whale Shark holds many records for sheer size in the animal kingdom, most notably being by far the largest living non-mammalian vertebrate, rivaling many of the largest dinosaurs in weight. (Ecocean, www.whaleshark.org.au)
Spots and Stripes
Image from deviant art
Whale sharks have interesting and unique markings. The series of spots and stripes is unique to each individual and believed to be like a fingerprint. Whale shark identification databases collect photographs taken by scientist, marine biologists, conservationists and citizen scientists to gather information on whale shark sightings globally. The information these databases can offer is fascinating and will help develop strategies and policies to protect the roaming giants of the sea. For instance the Marine Megafuana Foundation (MMF) has about 630 individuals in their Mozambique database and have determined:
- about 80% are male,
- most sharks in the area are immature and average about six meters
- 30% seems to be returning as found through re-sightings, but few take up residence in the area
it appears that whale sharks visit Mozambique for a quick seafood buffet before continuing on to places unknown.
Some whale sharks are rarely or never encountered, even by those seeking them out to study their behavior. According to a recent BBC production on Sharks and the The Large Marine Vertebrate Project in the Philippines (LAMAVE), “pregnant females, adult females, and small whale sharks (less than 3 meters in total length) are rarely encountered. Adult females have been sighted in the Sea of Cortez (Mexico), the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), India, Taiwan and the Philippines. Pregnant females have reportedly been spotted in Baja California (Mexico) and the Galapagos islands.”
There is still so much we don’t know about these majestic and harmless creatures despite the number of conservation and science groups all over the world and the research they are conducting. We don’t know the migration pathways for some of the main populations, and we don’t know where they go to breed.
Tourism
Although whale sharks can be the major ecotourism attraction for many countries, as a migratory animal that won’t stay in one place, they remain under threat from targeted fisheries which are believed to have decimated populations in some parts of the world. Additionally, management of whale shark tourism in some countries is questionable. I’ve had very good encounters with whale sharks where the numbers of divers or snorkelers with sharks are well-managed and controlled, but I’ve also had terrible experiences that left me very concerned.
Not only is the number of tourists swimming with the animals an important consideration so is the vicinity of the boats. These are wild animals in their own habitat, and if we want to see them and have encounters with them we have to respect that and not put them at risk. A recent encounter in the Maldives with two juvenile whale sharks was a classic example of a poorly managed environment aiming to please the throngs of tourists and divers, that is putting these animals at risk of injury. Or they just won’t come back if they get harassed so much!
Some places to visit
Oslob, Phillipines – Though I had my doubts about this a number of divers and conservationist I respect have assured me that it is sustainable. Additionally there are organizations like LAMAVE in the Philippines are working with fishing communities and tourism operators to research, conserve and educate.
Tofo, Mozambique: contact MMF for details of operators you can trust
If you have any sightings whilst on your whale shark adventure you can help the science by uploading your images to the database related to the site you spotted the shark, or on this global database.
Avoid the Maldives whale shark encounters if sightings are promised on liveaboards, or ask your dive guides to visit locations where there is good management of the shark encounter. On the site we visited there was no management or control of large number of boats, snorkelers and divers in the water with the sharks. Boats did not stay a minimum distance from the shark and there was no control of the many people in the water. This is presumably very distressing for the animal. If you consider yourself an ethical diver you’ll also find this distressing. (Note: other than this our recent Maldives liveaboard experience was exceptional and I would happily recommend the Emperor Dive group for your Maldives adventure.)
What else can you do…give and be kind
- Donate to any of the organizations I have linked in this post – they are doing amazing work to benefit the marine wildlife and in the bigger picture you and I.
- Or better still become a volunteer with one of these groups for your next holiday adventure
- This I came across from MMF newsletter this week so if you are in need for a new yoga gear check it out: Whale Shark Warrior Leggings
- For a different kind of gift that I’m sure any kid would love consider adopting a whale shark
Whatever you choose to do I hope you enjoy your encounter with these magnificent animals. Take it from me your underwater experience will never be the same again.
Share the love for whale sharks and all marine animals.
