{"id":7622,"date":"2021-08-25T18:24:34","date_gmt":"2021-08-25T17:24:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/?p=7622"},"modified":"2024-02-18T14:30:35","modified_gmt":"2024-02-18T14:30:35","slug":"whale-shark-facts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/whale-shark-facts\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Eye-Opening Whale Shark Facts (2024 UPDATE)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whale sharks are exciting and mysterious animals, and our <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are here to prove that. Though they may not be as popular as some other types of sharks, they are definitely worth our attention.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, if you have ever wondered what whale sharks are, where they live, or what makes them unique, you are in the right place. Read on to learn all that and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='top-10-whale-shark-facts'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Top 10 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whale Shark Facts<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whale sharks can reach the <a href=\"#size of a school bus\">size of a school bus<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <a href=\"#patterns on whale shark backs\">patterns on whale shark backs<\/a> are entirely unique.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facts about the whale shark reveal that <a href=\"#they are sharks\">they are sharks<\/a>, not whales.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A female whale shark can <a href=\"#give birth to 300 babies\">give birth to 300 babies<\/a> at once.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whale sharks can have <a href=\"#over 3,000 teeth\">over 3,000 teeth<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facts show that the species are believed to be <a href=\"#60 million years old\">60 million years old<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cool facts about whale sharks<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is that <a href=\"#they are harmless to humans\">they are harmless to humans<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whale sharks have <a href=\"#retractable eyes\">retractable eyes<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Statistics show that whale sharks can <a href=\"#live up to 150 years\">live up to 150 years<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whale sharks are <a href=\"#quite slow\">quite slow<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id='essential-whale-shark-facts-and-information'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essential <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whale Shark Facts And Information<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whale sharks are in the top five greatest enigmas of the marine world. It\u2019s hard to understand them completely, but some of these facts might be a good start.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='1-facts-about-the-whale-shark-reveal-that-they-are-sharks-not-whales'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facts about the whale shark<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reveal that they are sharks, not whales.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(WWF, FishBase)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though the name of this animal might be a bit confusing, it belongs to a genus of shark called <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rhincodon<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The name \u201cwhale shark\u201d comes from the size, as they look more like small whales than sharks.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='2-whale-sharks-can-reach-the-size-of-a-school-bus-according-to-cool-whale-shark-facts'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Whale sharks can reach the size of a school bus, according to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cool whale shark facts.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Oceana, Ocean Portal)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaking of size, whale sharks are the largest fish alive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are usually between 25 and 45 feet. In some cases, though, the whale sharks can grow up to 60 feet. This is almost 40 feet more than the great white shark.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">blue whale<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shark facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> state, is still bigger. Blue whales reach up to 110 feet in size, 50 feet more than whale sharks. They are the largest mammals \u2014 and animals, in general.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='3-the-patterns-on-their-back-are-entirely-unique'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. The patterns on their back are entirely unique.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(How Stuff Works)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of many <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">interesting facts about whale sharks<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is that, unlike most other sharks, whale sharks have a color pattern on their back. Whale sharks are usually grey with blue or brown undertones \u2014 and with beige polka dots and stripes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scientists believe that these dots and stripes are unique to each whale shark. So, they use these patterns to track individual sharks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The purpose of the patterns is unknown but is believed to be an evolutionary trait.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='4-one-of-the-exciting-whale-shark-teeth-facts-is-that-whale-sharks-can-have-over-3000-teeth'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. One of the exciting<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> whale shark teeth facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is that whale sharks can have over 3,000 teeth.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(TravelForWildlife)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whale sharks have giant mouths that can be up to four feet wide. They can have over 3,000 teeth in their mouth. However, those teeth are very small, so they are not used for actual eating.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='5-recent-shark-whale-facts-reveal-that-whale-sharks-have-retractable-eyes'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. Recent <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shark whale facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reveal that whale sharks have retractable eyes.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(The Guardian, PLOS ONE)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aside from this, Japanese scientists also found out that whale sharks have scale-like structures that surround their iris. These structures \u2014 together with the above-mentioned ability \u2014 protect their eyes from physical damage.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='6-warm-ocean-water-is-the-perfect-habitat-for-whale-sharks-according-to-whale-shark-habitat-facts'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6. Warm ocean water is the perfect habitat for whale sharks, according to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark habitat facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Fish)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whale sharks prefer water that\u2019s 69.8\u201377\u00b0F. They are mostly found in the Southern hemisphere, with the Indian ocean being their favorite.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are highly migratory, though, so it\u2019s not easy for scientists to track them down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='7-australia-is-the-place-with-the-most-whale-shark-sightings'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7. Australia is the place with the most whale shark sightings.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Fish)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A useful <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark fact<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is that if you are interested in seeing a whale shark, your best bet is visiting Australia. In Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland, there have been many sightings of whale sharks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Western Australia\u2019s Ningaloo Reef seems to be their favorite, with many whale sharks sightings due to plenty of plankton in the water.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='8-not-much-is-known-about-whale-sharks%e2%80%99-breeding-habits-facts-about-a-whale-shark-show'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8. Not much is known about whale sharks\u2019 breeding habits, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">facts about a whale shark<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> show.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Britannica)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Based on the evidence they do have, whale sharks give birth to fully functional babies. However, where whale sharks choose to breed, where they give birth, and many other whale sharks\u2019 breeding habits remain a mystery.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='9-according-to-the-whale-shark-baby-facts-a-female-whale-shark-can-give-birth-to-300-babies-at-once'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9. According to the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark baby facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a female whale shark can give birth to 300 babies at once!<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Live Science)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, not many of them survive till maturity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s also interesting about them is that while they do produce eggs, those eggs are stored inside, and they give birth to live young.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fun facts about the whale shark<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reveal that the smallest whale shark observed was 1.8 feet long. Scientists consider this to be the length of a newborn baby whale shark.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='10-whale-sharks-are-filter-feeders-which-is-a-trait-shared-by-only-a-small-number-of-animals'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10. Whale sharks are filter feeders, which is a trait shared by only a small number of animals.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(SharkSider, How Stuff Works)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">interesting facts about the whale shark<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is that they are filter feeders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Filter feeding means that sharks open their mouths, swim, and take in water with food. Or they open and close their mouths, sucking in a lot of water and food.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They have filters in their gills that separate water from food \u2014 the food stays in and goes to their throat while the water goes out.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='11-whale-shark%e2%80%99s-main-food-is-plankton-as-reported-by-whale-shark-diet-facts'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">11. Whale shark\u2019s main food is plankton, as reported by <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark diet facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(SharkSider)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although most sharks prefer meat and can even sense blood, whale sharks\u2019 diet mainly consists of plankton.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are mostly krill, fish eggs, and copepods.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='12-one-of-the-cool-facts-about-whale-sharks-is-that-they-are-harmless-to-humans'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12. One of the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cool facts about whale sharks<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is that they are harmless to humans.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Britannica)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most people are scared of sharks. But, statistics prove that the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/shark-attack-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">odds of being bitten by any shark are only 1 in 3,748,067<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facts about whale sharks<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reveal that the probability of getting attacked by a whale shark is almost zero. The whale sharks are one of the least dangerous marine animals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That being said, an event of a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dan.org\/safety-prevention\/diver-safety\/case-summaries\/diver-was-virtually-swallowed-by-a-whale-shark\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark trying to swallow a human was recorded<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The human was not swallowed in the end, nor eaten \u2014 the whale shark simply spat him out.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So it\u2019s safe to say that humans are not in great danger from whale sharks. Unfortunately, whale sharks are in danger from humans.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='whale-shark-protection-facts'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whale Shark Protection Facts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like most animals, whale sharks, one of the ocean\u2019s gentle giants, need protection. So let\u2019s see what the situation looks like in 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='12-facts-about-whale-sharks-show-that-the-whale-shark-is-on-the-iucn-red-list-and-is-endangered'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facts about whale sharks<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> show that the whale shark is on the IUCN Red List and is endangered.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(IUCN Red List)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the saddest <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shark whale facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is that they are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature\u2019s Red List. They are listed as an endangered species and are only three steps away from being extinct.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Statistics show that the whale shark population has decreased by more than 50% in the last 75 years. If nothing is done, it will keep decreasing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other sharks are not safe either, as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/endangered-species-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">30% of all sharks are endangered<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='13-a-sad-whale-shark-fact-is-that-hundreds-of-whale-sharks-are-hunted-each-year'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13. A sad <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark fact<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is that hundreds of whale sharks are hunted each year.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(National Geographic, National Geographic)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although whale shark hunting is illegal, whale sharks are still hunted each year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only one Chinese fish factory processes around 500\u2013600 big sharks each year, including whale sharks. The number of processed sharks gets more serious when we consider that whale shark numbers are already measured in thousands and that there might be more such factories.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='14-you-shouldn%e2%80%99t-touch-a-whale-shark'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">14. You shouldn\u2019t touch a whale shark.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Mashable, Leisure Pro)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark interesting facts <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is that touching them can be quite harmful.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More precisely, they are covered in protective mucus, which can be compromised by touching.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, by touching and feeding whale sharks, humans can make them get used to that kind of attention. This way, in search of food from humans, they can approach hunting boats and get killed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, their skin is covered in not just mucus but also dermal denticles, which can leave you with an unpleasant \u201cshark burn\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='other-whale-shark-fun-facts'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whale Shark Fun Facts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides general facts, there are many other <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">interesting facts about<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Stay tuned to find out more about this fascinating animal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='15-when-talking-about-whale-sharks-facts-show-that-the-species-are-believed-to-be-60-million-years-old'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15. When talking about <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale sharks<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> show that the species are believed to be 60 million years old.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Underwater360)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scientists believe that during the period when dinosaurs became extinct, the whale sharks came into existence. It evolved from its ancestors between 35 to 60 million years ago.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sharks have been around for 450 million years and are some of the longest-existing species. Whale sharks, with \u2018only\u2019 60 million years of existence, are among the youngest shark types.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='16-the-whale-shark-species-was-first-discovered-in-1828'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">16. The whale shark species was first discovered in 1828.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Environment)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark interesting facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> show that the whale shark was discovered a lot later than other sharks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A physician, Andrew Smith, created a categorization of fish in South Africa in 1828. While doing so, he described a type of fish he called the largest shark in the ocean \u2014 the whale shark.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='17-when-talking-about-whale-sharks-facts-show-that-males-are-smaller-than-females'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">17. When talking about <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale sharks, facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> show that males are smaller than females.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Frontiers)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though not much is known about whale sharks, recent studies suggest that the size of a whale shark might be related to its sex.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 2020 research on whale sharks shows that male whale sharks grow less than female sharks. More precisely, male sharks usually grow up to 30 feet, while female sharks can grow beyond 40 feet.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='18-statistics-show-that-whale-sharks-can-live-up-to-150-years'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">18. Statistics show that whale sharks can live up to 150 years.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Fish, Science, WWF)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As reported by <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">facts about the whale shark,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> they grow extremely quickly. But this process slows down over time, and whale sharks reach maturity around the age of 30.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most whale sharks don\u2019t survive that long. Those that do survive, can live up to 150 years.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='19-whale-sharks-are-quite-slow-as-revealed-by-whale-shark-fun-facts'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">19. Whale sharks are quite slow, as revealed by <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark fun facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(ThoughtCo, WWF)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most surprising <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">facts about whale sharks<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is that they are extremely slow \u2014 for a shark. A whale shark\u2019s average speed is only 3 mph, which is the average speed of walking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compared to other sharks, like the great white that can swim up to 25 mph, whale sharks\u2019 top speed of 6 mph seems almost funny.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it\u2019s still faster than the fastest human swimming speed, which is around 5 mph.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='20-it%e2%80%99s-possible-to-swim-with-whale-sharks'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">20. It\u2019s possible to swim with whale sharks.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Australia\u2019s Coral Coast)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that the lovers of this animal might find satisfying is that you can swim with whale sharks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Swimming with whale sharks is an attraction offered in many places, the most famous one being Australia\u2019s Ningaloo Reef.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='faq'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FAQ<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 id='what-is-special-about-whale-sharks'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is special about whale sharks?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main two things that make whale sharks special are that there are not many of them and that there is a veil of mystery surrounding them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, there are many different things that make whale sharks special. For example, they are the biggest fish in the sea, they are filter feeders, they have retractable eyes, and much more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Fish)<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='why-are-whale-sharks-endangered'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why are whale sharks endangered<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are three main factors why whale sharks are endangered \u2014 loss of their habitats, hunting, and pollution.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Habitats, or places where whale fish live, are lost due to noise, overfishing, and building directly on the coasts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the biggest problems for whale sharks, as well as the whole ocean, is pollution. Pollution is such a big issue that in some places in the ocean, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/water-pollution-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">there is more plastic than planktons<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale sharks facts,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the largest preservation problem is hunting. Due to hunting in places like China, a few hundred whale sharks lose their lives each year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With these three factors combined, it\u2019s no surprise that there are not many whale sharks left.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Greenpeace)<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='what-is-the-current-population-of-whale-sharks'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the current population of whale sharks?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2022<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0population of whale sharks is estimated at 119,000\u2013238,000. The exact numbers are not known, as only around 7,000 whale sharks are tracked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(EDGE of Existence, IUCN Red List)<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='is-the-whale-shark-population-increasing'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is the whale shark population increasing?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The whale shark population is not increasing. On the contrary \u2014 it is decreasing. The estimates are that in the last 75 years, we\u2019ve lost about half of the whale shark population.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, the numbers are expected to decrease even more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(IUCN Red List)<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='has-a-whale-shark-ever-eaten-a-human'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Has a whale shark ever eaten a human?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are no recorded cases of a whale shark eating a human. Whale sharks, in general, don\u2019t eat anything big \u2014 planktons are their most typical food.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There have been cases of a whale shark accidentally sucking up a human, but they\u2019d always spit them out.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Britannica)<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='conclusion'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With all these exceptional <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whale shark facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it\u2019s safe to say that whale sharks are one of the world\u2019s greatest animals. Besides being the largest fish in the ocean, whale sharks are unique and special in many ways.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s easy to understand why protecting whale sharks should be a prerogative for both us and future generations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='sources'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sources:<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.australiascoralcoast.com\/see-do\/swim-ningaloo-whale-sharks#:~:text=Swim%20with%20the%20largest%20fish,on%20Western%20Australia&#039;s%20Ningaloo%20Reef.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Australia\u2019s Coral Coast<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/animal\/whale-shark\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Britannica<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.edgeofexistence.org\/species\/whale-shark\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EDGE of Existence<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucnredlist.org\/species\/19488\/2365291#population\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.environment.gov.au\/marine\/marine-species\/sharks\/whale-shark\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Environment<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.fish.wa.gov.au\/documents\/recreational_fishing\/fact_sheets\/fact_sheet_whale_shark.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fish<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fishbase.de\/Summary\/FamilySummary.php?ID=6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FishBase<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmars.2020.575683\/full\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frontiers<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/usa\/oceans\/wildlife-facts\/whale-shark\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Greenpeace<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/animals.howstuffworks.com\/fish\/sharks\/whale-shark1.htm#:~:text=Another%20unique%20trait%20of%20the,shark%2C%20like%20a%20human&#039;s%20fingerprint.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Stuff Works<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/animals.howstuffworks.com\/animal-facts\/filter-feeding.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Stuff Works<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucnredlist.org\/species\/19488\/2365291#population\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IUCN Red List<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.leisurepro.com\/blog\/scuba-guides\/how-touching-whale-sharks-can-cause-serious-harm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leisure Pro<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/55412-whale-sharks.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Live Science<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mashable.com\/article\/shark-scale-corrosion-ocean-acidification#:~:text=When%20shark%20scientists%20handle%20sharks,scales%2C%20similar%20to%20microscopic%20teeth.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mashable<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/animals\/article\/140129-whale-shark-endangered-cites-ocean-animals-conservation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Geographic<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/animals\/article\/whale-sharks-endangered-species-conservation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Geographic<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ocean.si.edu\/ocean-life\/sharks-rays\/what-biggest-shark-chart-shows-diversity-shark-sizes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ocean Portal<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/marine-life\/sharks-rays\/whale-shark\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oceana<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0235342#sec005\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PLOS ONE<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencemag.org\/news\/2018\/07\/whale-sharks-can-live-130-years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Science<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sharksider.com\/whale-shark-diet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SharkSider<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thoughtco.com\/how-fast-can-a-shark-swim-2291556\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ThoughtCo<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.travel4wildlife.com\/do-whale-sharks-have-teeth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TravelForWildlife<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uw360.asia\/shark-era-evolution\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Underwater360<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldwildlife.org\/stories\/how-big-are-whale-sharks-and-four-other-whale-shark-facts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WWF<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is special about whale sharks?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The main two things that make whale sharks special are that there are not many of them and that there is a veil of mystery surrounding them.\\nOf course, there are many different things that make whale sharks special. For example, they are the biggest fish in the sea, they are filter feeders, they have retractable eyes, and much more.\\n(Fish)\\n\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why are whale sharks endangered?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"There are three main factors why whale sharks are endangered \u2014 loss of their habitats, hunting, and pollution.\\nHabitats, or places where whale fish live, are lost due to noise, overfishing, and building directly on the coasts.\\nOne of the biggest problems for whale sharks, as well as the whole ocean, is pollution. Pollution is such a big issue that in some places in the ocean, there is more plastic than planktons. \\nAccording to whale sharks facts, the largest preservation problem is hunting. Due to hunting in places like China, a few hundred whale sharks lose their lives each year.\\nWith these three factors combined, it\u2019s no surprise that there are not many whale sharks left.\\n(Greenpeace)\\n\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the current population of whale sharks?\\n\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"According to whale shark facts, the 2021 population of whale sharks is estimated at 119,000\u2013238,000. The exact numbers are not known, as only around 7,000 whale sharks are tracked. \\n(EDGE of Existence, IUCN Red List)\\n\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is the whale shark population increasing?\\n\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The whale shark population is not increasing. On the contrary \u2014 it is decreasing. The estimates are that in the last 75 years, we\u2019ve lost about half of the whale shark population. \\nUnfortunately, the numbers are expected to decrease even more.\\n(IUCN Red List)\\n\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Has a whale shark ever eaten a human?\\n\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"There are no recorded cases of a whale shark eating a human. Whale sharks, in general, don\u2019t eat anything big \u2014 planktons are their most typical food. \\nThere have been cases of a whale shark accidentally sucking up a human, but they\u2019d always spit them out.\\n(Britannica)\\n\"}}]}<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did you know that female whale sharks can give birth to 300 babies at once? Read our 20 Whale Shark Facts for 2022 and prepare to be amazed. [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/whale-shark-facts\/\">Read More&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> from 20 Eye-Opening Whale Shark Facts (2024 UPDATE)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":7625,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-stats-and-facts"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7622","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7622"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7622\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7622"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7622"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}