Whale Shark is the largest fish on the entire planet. They can reach up to 46 feet in length and weigh up to 12 tons. Their scientific name is Rhincodon typus. They have very large mouths reaching widths of 1 to 1.5 meters. An adult individual can have up to 300 rows of teeth and include about 3,000 teeth in its mouth.
Contrary to popular belief, Whale Sharks are in no way related to whales. They are sharks but have a lot in common with whales, like the fact that both are massive creatures.
Quick Facts: –
- Whale Shark is generally a solitary creature but can also share feeding grounds with other whale sharks.
- They are considered intelligent creatures as they have been recorded to demonstrate the ability to learn.
- Their main predators include Orcas, blue sharks, white sharks and blue marlin.
- Every whale shark has distinctive light-yellow markings on its dark gray skin. These markings can be random stripes and dots.
- They are filter feeders and sieve the food through their gills for much of their nourishment.
- These Sharks have a flattened head with a blunt snout above their mouth.
- They migrate every spring to the continental shelf of the central west coast of Australia.
- They can feed vertically, a behavior known as standing on their tail.
- They suck water in large amounts through their mouths and expel the rest out of their gills.
- Like most other sharks, they also have to keep swimming in order to breathe.
