Shark Month Profile: The Whale Shark
By Matt O'Hern // June 4, 2014
ABOVE VIDEO: National Geographic special on the whale shark’s feeding habits.
Known as the gentle giant of all sharks, the whale shark is the largest living fish in the seas.
Despite their intimidating size, whale sharks pose no threat to humans, as their diet consists of plankton. Whale sharks can grow up to 40 feet long and can be found the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.
WHALE SHARK FACTS
- The whale shark’s only known predator is humans.
- Whale sharks weigh up to 20 tons.
- The pattern around each whale shark’s gill is as unique as a human fingerprint.
- Whale sharks are capable of undertaking migrations thousands of miles long – one tagged shark traveled 8,000 miles over 37 months
