30/08/2024
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5 FUN FACTS ABOUT WHALE SHARKS
1️⃣ WHALE SHARKS ARE NOT WHALES, THEY ARE SHARKS.
Although these huge sea creatures are called ‘whale sharks’, they are not actually whales, but filter-feeding sharks, often referred to as “gentle giants”.
3️⃣ THEY’RE THE BIGGEST IN THE OCEAN
They are also the world’s largest fish, usually growing to 12 metres in length, although a fully-grown whale shark can reach up to an incredible 20 meters long and weigh 20 tons.
3️⃣ EATING IS LABORIOUS WORK
Whale sharks are filter feeders and can neither bite nor chew. They can process more than 6,000 litres of water an hour through their gills. Although its mouth can stretch to four feet wide, a whale shark’s teeth are so tiny that they can only eat small shrimp, fish and plankton by using their gill rakers as a suction filter.
4️⃣ THEY CAN BE VERY OLD
It’s thought that less than 10% of whale sharks born survive to adulthood, but those that do may live to 150.
5️⃣ THEY’RE SLOW SWIMMERS AND MIGRATE A LONG WAY
Whale sharks can be found in warm temperature seas around the world, except the Mediterranean Sea. They can migrate thousands of miles to different feeding grounds, but only at a slow swimming speed of on average 3mph.
What a blessing to be able to swim with this gentle giant on Whale Shark International Day! 🐋🩵
