1. Shark
  2. Whale Shark

Whale Shark

  1. Shark
  2. Whale Shark
Whale Shark
Adopt a Whale Shark

Facts

  • Status
    Endangered
  • Scientific Name
    Rhincodon typus
  • Weight
    around 11 tons
  • Length
    up to 60 feet
  • Habitats
    Oceans
whale shark spots

Like human fingerprints, whale sharks have a unique pattern of spots which allow individual sharks to be identified. By taking photos and cataloguing them, WWF has identified 458 different whale sharks in the Philippines.

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are the largest shark, and indeed largest of any fishes alive today. They feed on plankton and travel large distances to find enough food to sustain their huge size, and to reproduce. Whale sharks are found in all the tropical oceans of the world. Their white spotted colouration makes these gentle giants easy to distinguish, and popular with snorkelers and divers at sites where they aggregate off the coast.

The maximum size of whale sharks is not known, but could be as large as 60 feet. Females give birth to live young but this has never been observed. Where pupping occurs and where the youngest animals situate remains a mystery, as they are very rarely found. Adults are often found feeding at the surface, but may dive to 1000m. Whale sharks are protected from fishing in many countries these days, but are in decline in some areas.

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View of a whale shark from above with small yellow fish

Why They Matter

  • Plankton eaters

    The whale shark is the biggest fish and shark in the world. These gentle marine giants roam the oceans around the globe, generally alone. However, large numbers of whale sharks often gather in areas with abundant plankton food—making them prime tourist attractions.The distribution of whale sharks indicates the presence of plankton and the overall health of our oceans.

Threats

  • Extinction Risk Endangered
    1. EX
      Extinct

      No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died

    2. EW
      Extinct in the Wild

      Known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population

    3. CR
      Critically Endangered

      Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the Wild

    4. EN
      Endangered

      Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild

    5. VU
      Vulnerable

      Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild

    6. NT
      Near Threatened

      Likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future

    7. LC
      Least Concern

      Does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened

Whale Shark

Whale shark meat on a drying rack. Pamilacan Island, Philippines.

Whale sharks are highly valued on international markets. Demand for their meat, fins and oil remains a threat to the species, particularly by unregulated fisheries. They are victims of bycatch, the accidental capture of non-target species in fishing gear. And whale shark tourism presents a threat to the species as it can interrupt their feeding and sharks can be injured by boat propellers.

What WWF Is Doing

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A WWF-supported ecotourism project that focuses on swimming with whale sharks (while following strict rules to avoid disturbing the animals) has brought a flourishing tourism industry to Donsol, an island town in the Philippines.

Helping and Improving Whale Shark Tourism

Donsol Bay, Philippines, attracts huge numbers of whale sharks because of the high levels of plankton found in its water. WWF has helped with whale shark tourism there since 1998. We continue to work to ensure whale sharks stay safe during the frequent interactions they have with people and tour boats.

As whale shark tourism is very popular in Mexico, we educate tourists on codes of conduct for swimming with sharks. We also raise awareness with tour boat operators about the movements of sharks, which has resulted in fewer boat collisions with the animals.

Scientific Research

Whale Shark Research

WWF experts continue to study shark habits and gather information in the Coral Triangle on individual sharks by using satellite tags, sonar devices and digital cameras. The information is used to create further protections for whale sharks.

Every whale shark has a unique pattern of spots and stripes on their skin, and WWF uses them to identify individual sharks. Divers photograph the animal right above their pectoral fins and behind their gill slits. The photos are fed into a computer database. In the Philippines, WWF has identified 458 individual whale sharks since 2007.

WWF has also placed satellite tags on 29 whale sharks. Most tagged sharks stay within 125 miles from shore. All spend most of their time below 150 feet, rarely rising to the surface to feed. These results indicate that whale sharks are highly mobile and are transient feeders.

WWF also supports whale shark studies to learn more about the population, their habitat use and migratory pathways in the waters surrounding Mafia Island, Coastal East Africa.

How You Can Help

Take Action

Join us to make change. Speak up for species and places through WWF's Action Center.

Adopt a Whale Shark

Make a symbolic whale shark adoption to help save some of the world's most endangered animals from extinction and support WWF's conservation efforts.

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