Whale shark

About Whale shark:

• It is the largest fish in the worldand the largest fish known to have lived on this planet.
• They are one of only three species of filter feeding sharks.
• Distribution: They can be found in all temperate and tropical oceansaround the world, except the Mediterranean Sea.
• Appearance
  • They are dark gray on top and light underneath, with a series of light spots or stripes covering the dark parts of their bodies. This helps to camouflage them as they swim.
  • Unlike most shark species, its mouth is located at the front of the head(terminal) instead of the underside of the rostrum (subterminal).
  • They are filter feeders and can neither bite nor chew. They can process more than 6,000 litres of water an hour through their gills. 
  • Inside the mouth are specialized flaps called velums. These stop the backflow of water as the whale shark closes its mouth, preventing the loss of food.
• Food Habit: They feed on planktonand travel large distances to find enough food to sustain their huge size, and to reproduce.
• They also eat small and large fish and mollusks, including sardines, anchovies, mackerels, squid, and even small tuna and albacore.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Endangered
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I
• Threats: The whale sharks continue to face challenges primarily due to bycatch and accidental capture in fishing nets, illegal hunting and habitat degradation.
• A global study indicates that over the past 75 years, the world’s whale shark population has decreased by 50%.