Zebra shark whale shark teeth skin#

Diving expeditions have become very popular over the last twenty years or so. So when they form large groupings, they attract human interest. Whale sharks are harmless and unafraid of swimmers. In fact, marine scientists think the location of whale sharks can be used to measure the presence of plankton and the overall health of our oceans One shark traveled 13,000 km over a three-year period!Įach spring they migrate to the continental shelves around Australia, possibly to feed on the plankton (tiny marine animals and plants) that occur there in great numbers. They stay within 125 miles of shore, and make regular deep dives (up to 240 m / 790 ft), sometimes coming to the surface to feed. Results confirm that most tagged sharks are very mobile but they swim slowly. Over the last 15 years, many studies have placed satellite tags on whale sharks to track their movements. They usually stay in deep waters (about 800 m / 2,600 ft), but sometimes move closer to coastal areas, especially near coral reefs. Whale sharks are nomadic. genetic studies (of whale shark history and evolution) have shown that they swim all around the globe through temperate and tropical waters (other than the Mediterranean), with no real barriers to movement. Some researchers think the whale shark's closest relative is the relatively puny zebra shark However those that make it may have a lifespan of up 100 or 150 years! Again, no one really knows for sure. The mother leaves her young after birth, and less than 1 in 10 are thought to survive to adulthood. Young whale sharks appear to have a tough time out there.

Zebra shark whale shark teeth skin#

For example, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has identified 458 different whale sharks in the Philippines using photos of their skin patterns. This is an incredible tool for research and conservation. Each individual has a unique pattern that allows identification, just like human fingerprints. The skin has pale yellow markings of stripes and dots on a dark gray background. Because of their gentleness, they are visited often by divers. This is a slow and leisurely swimmer with an average speed of just 5 kilometers per hour (3mph). They are usually solo, but in areas where food is concentrated, whale sharks gather in large numbers. Whale sharks are filter-feeders that travel the world's warm oceans. Imagine what it would be like to swim beside an adult. Back in the boat, he explained we had seen 'just' a baby whale shark. Then my eyes focused just behind the fishes, and I realized they were covering a much bigger creature! It was grey with pale spots, and stretched longer than our whole group of divers. I saw a beautiful school of silvery fish swim by. It's hard to imagine a fish that big, but I can tell you first hand that even a young one is humongous! I went scuba diving in Zanzibar, in East Africa, and our dive master pointed through the water ahead of us excitedly. People are truly fascinated by these gentle giants, yet surprisingly little is known about their life history, compared to other large sharks. Of course no one really knows for sure, because there isn't much known about the size of whale sharks at maturity. It's actually the biggest shark and fish! Would you believe an average adult is the length of a school bus?! They typically grow to about 10-12 m (33-40 ft), but may reach 18 m (60 ft) in length. The Whale Shark, also called the Rhinocdon typus, is an enormous shark and is only a whale by size.