![]() ![]() They are solitary unless they are mating or moving to seasonal aggregation locations. These sharks are very slow moving, and spend much of their time cruising and feeding. They are fed a specialized gel diet, as well as krill. Before arriving at the aquarium, the sharks were taught to feed from specialized scoops. These sharks were purchased from Taiwan’s commercial whale shark fishery, where they were destined to be someone’s dinner! Taiwan has since disbanded their commercial fishery.Īt the Georgia Aquarium, four whale sharks are housed in a 6.3 million gallon tank. aquarium are housed at the Georgia Aquarium. But alas, they are endangered species, and it is illegal to own a whale shark as a pet. Ha! If you can build a tank large enough for a whale shark, and hire a specialized team of aquarists experienced in their care, maybe a whale shark would make a good pet. Whale sharks have not been domesticated in any way. Because these creatures are so docile, they do not pose a threat to humans and commonly allow close swimming interactions. Tourists are drawn to a number of different whale shark aggregation locations to swim with wild whale sharks. ![]() Thankfully, whale sharks are being recognized for their value alive, in the ecotourism industry. Their large size and surface feeding habits also put them in danger of boat strikes, and being hit by a boat can kill whale sharks. They are also commonly victims of bycatch in commercial fisheries, where they get caught in nets set for other animals and drown. Whale sharks are killed due to illegal fishing for their fins, oil, and skin, which is sold in China. Little is known about the populations of whale sharks, but they are listed as endangered due to human activity. It is estimated that a juvenile whale shark can eat 46 lbs. They will also use active suction, opening and closing their mouths repeatedly to suck water in. ![]() ![]() These giants feed by opening their mouth and swimming forward to push the water in their mouth. They have also been observed feeding on eggs during large spawning events of fish and corals. Some of its most common prey includes krill, copepods, fish eggs, squid, Christmas Island red crab larvae, and small fish. Diet of the Whale SharkĪs a filter feeder, whale sharks feed on small fish, squid, plankton, and crustaceans. The seasonal feeding grounds vary greatly by population, but include South Africa, Belize, Western Australia, India, Honduras, the Philippines, Mexico, and Indonesia. Whale sharks can be found in any tropical or warm temperate ocean worldwide. They are known to aggregate at feeding grounds seasonally. These sharks also avoid colder seas, and are normally found in tropical or warm-temperate oceans. They can occasionally be found as deep as 6,000 ft., but for the most part remain towards the surface of the open ocean. While swimming along, whale sharks prefer shallower depths. Instead of using their tails for propulsion, whale sharks casually sway their entire bodies to swim along. Because they have no need for speed, they are quite slow moving creatures that rarely exceed 3 mph when swimming. Instead of chasing down food, whale sharks suck in large mouthfuls of water to filter. Leisurely Living – Whale sharks aren’t like most shark species, which have to capture their prey using speed and skill.Instead of baleen, whale sharks have 3,000 tiny teeth that work to filter out food. Whale sharks have developed their feeding strategy slightly differently. Filtering Mechanics – Actual whales filter food using large, stiff, hair-like plates of baleen.The only other sharks that feed in this fashion are basking sharks and the seldom seen megamouth sharks. Whale sharks feed by opening their giant maws, taking in water, and then spitting the water out through their teeth, while keeping the small fish and plankton. A Unique Way to Feed – Filter feeding is a relatively unique feeding strategy among sharks.The name also comes from their foraging behavior, filter feeding, which is also used by baleen whales. Whale sharks get their name from their immense size, which is reminiscent of large whale species. Why “Whale” Shark? – Contrary to what their name may suggest, whale sharks are not closely related to whales in any way.They are relatively unique among sharks in their feeding behavior and adaptations. These magnificent fish are the largest creatures in the world behind the whales. ![]()
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