The Mysterious Whale Shark
Whale sharks are beautiful creatures with amazing markings. They’re also not even whales at all – they’re sharks and therefore fish. However, they don’t rip prey apart in the same way as a great white shark. Instead, they are filter feeders so their diet is made up of small creatures. They are also very peaceful animals and seem to like hanging out with humans – they are often seen interacting with boats. Some even allow swimmers to hang onto their dorsal fin and catch a ride. This swimmer, however, has a job to do and is not playing around. The shark is in serious trouble and has got tangled up in some rope. In this vid, you get a fantastic view of their markings. They are generally a dark grey shade on their top half with a series of light spots or stripes. Their underside is lighter. This coloring helps to camouflage them as they swim.
Whale Shark Diet and Distribution
Whale sharks are found in warm, tropical, and temperate seas but are not found in the Mediterranean Sea. Their main habitats are off the coasts of Australia, Belize, South Africa, Mexico, Ecuador, and the Philippines as they prefer water that is between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They can be found in deeper waters but are most often spotted in coastal waters because that is where there is more food for them! Although this is a giant fish, the animals they feed off are pretty small. They live off plankton and krill mainly but also eat anchovies, sardines, mackerel, small jellyfish, crabs, and squid. They feed by swimming with their mouths open so that it fills with water containing these small animals. Then, they shut their mouth and force the water out through their gills. The prey gets trapped on the baleen filters and then swallowed. Despite the shark’s huge size, this swimmer was in no real danger. Even though whale sharks do have teeth, they don’t really use them, and certainly not on their human rescuers!
Next Up:
Watch: Shark Hunts Massive Saltwater Crocodile in AustraliaWatch a Shark Bite an Alligator In South CarolinaWatch How Close This Woman Came To Becoming A Shark’s Meal
